On some geometric inequalities
Tran Quang Hung
Abstract
In this article we use a purely algebraic inequality to prove a variety of
geometric inequalities.
1 Introduction
In the recently published article: An unexpectedly useful inequality by Pham Huu
Duc [1], the following inequality was proved
p
(b + c)x + (c + a)y + (a + b)z ≥ 2 (xy + yz + zx)(ab + bc + ca) ∀a, b, c, x, y, z ≥ 0.
The inequality was presented along with its algebraic applications. This inequality
not only has many applications in algebra but also it has many applications in
geometry. We start with a nice proof of this result that appeared in [2]:
Proposition 1. For all real numbers a, b, c, x, y, z such that ab + bc + ca ≥ 0 and
xy + yz + zx ≥ 0 the following inequality holds
p
(b + c)x + (c + a)y + (a + b)z ≥ 2 (xy + yz + zx)(ab + bc + ca).
Proof. Using Cauchy-Schwarz inequality we get
(b + c)x + (c + a)y + (a + b)z = (a + b + c)(x + y + z) − (ax + by + cz)
p
= [a2 + b2 + c2 + 2(ab + bc + ca)][x2 + y 2 + z 2 + 2(xy + yz + zx)] − (ax + by + cz)
p p
≥ 2 (xy + yz + zx)(ab + bc + ca) + (a2 + b2 + c2 )(x2 + y 2 + z 2 ) − (ax + by + cz)
p
≥ 2 (xy + yz + zx)(ab + bc + ca).
The next inequality can be proved as a corollary:
Corollary 1. For all real positive numbers a, b, c, x, y, z the following inequality is
true
x y z p
a+ b+ c ≥ 3(ab + bc + ca).
y+z z+x x+y
x y z
Proof. Let us replace in Proposition 1 (x, y, z) with y+z , z+x , x+y . Note that
xy yz zx 3
+ + ≥ ,
(z + x)(z + y) (x + y)(x + z) (y + z)(y + x) 4
and the conclusion follows.
Mathematical Reflections 3 (2008) 1
Proposition 2. Let P be a point in the plane of triangle ABC, then
PA · PC PC · PA PA · PB
+ + ≥ 1.
bc ca ab
where a, b, c are the sides of the triangle.
Proof. There are many ways to prove this inequality; we use complex numbers. Let
the complex coordinates of A, B, C and P be A(a), B(b), C(c) and P (p), respectively.
Using identity
(b − c)(p − b)(p − c) + (c − a)(p − c)(p − a) + (a − b)(p − a)(p − b) = (a − b)(b − c)(c − a),
we have
BC · P B · P C + CA · P C · P A + AB · P A · P B
= |(b − c)(p − b)(p − c)| + |(c − a)(p − c)(p − a)| + |(a − b)(p − a)(p − b)|
≥ |(b − c)(p − b)(p − c) + (c − a)(p − c)(p − a) + (a − b)(p − a)(p − b)|
= |(a − b)(b − c)(c − a)| = AB · BC · CA.
Dividing both sides by AB · BC · CA we get
PB · PC PC · PA PA · PB
+ + ≥ 1.
bc ca ab
Note that the equality holds if and only if P = H, where H is the orthocenter of
triangle ABC.
Let us combine the ideas of the first two propositions in the following statement:
Proposition 3. Let P be a point in the plane of triangle ABC, and let x, y, z be
real numbers such that xy + yz + zx ≥ 0. Then
PA PB PC √
(y + z)
+ (z + x) + (x + y) ≥ 2 xy + yz + zx.
a b c
Proof. We apply Proposition 1 for PaA , PbB , PcC and (x, y, z) to get
PA PB PC
(y + z) + (z + x) + (x + y)
s a b c
PA · PC PC · PA PA · PB
≥ 2 (xy + yz + zx) + +
bc ca ab
√
≥ 2 xy + yz + zx,
as desired.
We continue with a few classical problems that can be solved with the help of the
established results.
Mathematical Reflections 3 (2008) 2
2 Applications
Problem 1. Consider triangle ABC and a point P in its plane. Prove that
PA PB PC √
+ + ≥ 3.
a b c
Solution. Plugging x = y = z = 1 in the Proposition 3, we get
√
PA PB PC
2 + + ≥ 2 3,
a b c
and we are done.
Problem 2. Consider triangle ABC and a point P in its plane. Prove that
a · P A + b · P B + c · P C ≥ 4KABC ,
where KABC is the area of triangle ABC.
b2 +c2 −a2 a2 +c2 −b2
Solution. Let a, b, c be the triangle’s sides. Denote x = 2 ,y = 2 ,z =
a2 +b2 −c2
2 . Then
2(a2 b2 + b2 c2 + c2 a2 ) − (a4 + b4 + c4 ) 2
xy + yz + zx = = 4KABC ≥ 0.
4
Hence using Proposition 3 for these (x, y, z) we get
PA PB PC
a2 · + b2 · + c2 · = a · P A + b · P B + c · P C ≥ 4KABC .
a b c
Problem 3. Let P be a point in the plane of triangle ABC. Prove that
P A + P B + P C ≥ 6r,
where r is the inradius of the incircle of triangle ABC.
Solution. Let x = s − a, y = s − b, z = s − c, where a, b, c are the triangle’s sides
and s is the semiperimeter. Then using Proposition 3 we get
p
P A + P B + P C ≥ 2 (s − a)(s − b) + (s − b)(s − c) + (s − c)(s − a).
Recall that (s − a)(s − b) + (s − b)(s − c) + (s − c)(s − a) = r(4R + r), where R
and r are the circumradius and inradius, respectively. Thus we get a much stronger
inequality p
P A + P B + P C ≥ 2 r(4R + r).
Mathematical Reflections 3 (2008) 3
3 References
[1] Pham Huu Duc, An unexpectedly useful inequality, Mathematical Reflections
2008, Issue 1.
[2] Manlio, Blackmouse, Canhang, Mathlinks Forum 2007,
http://www.mathlinks.ro/viewtopic.php?t=187355.
[3] Dragoslav S. Mitrinovic, J. Pecaric,V. Volenec, Recent Advances in Geometric
Inequalities.
[4] Bottema, Oene; Djordjevic, R.Z.; Janic, R.; Mitrinovic, D.S.; and Vasic, P.M.,
Geometric Inequalities.
Tran Quang Hung
Ha Noi National University, Vietnam
email:
[email protected]Mathematical Reflections 3 (2008) 4
