IMOC 2023 handout solutions

Allen Zhuang

August 17, 2024

Chapter 1

inequality

1.4 Variable Substitution

Example 1.4.7 Given positive real numbers a, b, c satisfying (a+b+c)( a1 +
1
a
+ a1 ) = 10. Find the set of value of

a3 + b 3 + c 3
S= .
abc
Solution Without loss of generality, let p = ab, s = a + b, c = 1. From
the condition, we have

s s2 + s s2
(s + 1)( + 1) = 10 ⇒ p = ≤
p 9−s 4

⇒ s ∈ [1, 4].
We also have
2
s(a2 − ab + b2 ) + 1 s(s2 − 3 · s9−s
+s
)+1
S= ⇒S= 2
s +s
p 9−s

−s3 + 7s2 − 10s + 9 17

⇒S= ⇒ S ∈ [ , 5]
s 4

1
Example 1.4.8 Given positive real numbers x, y, z satisfying x + y + z =
xyz. Prove that r
X 1 3
2
≤ .
1+x 2
Solution Let x = tan A, y = tan B, z = tan C, where A + B + C = π,
therefore we are left to prove cos A + cos B + cos C ≤ 23 . Since x, y, z > 0, so
A, B, C ∈ [0, π2 ], thus, cos A, cos B, cos C are concave function. From Jensen
inequality, we have
A+B+C π 3
cos A + cos B + cos C ≤ 3 · cos( ) = 3 · cos( ) = .
3 3 2

Example 1.4.9 Given positive real numbers a, b, c satisfying a2 + b3 + c2 +

abc = 4, prove that
4 4 4
2
+ 2
+ + abc ≥ 5.
4−a 4−b 4 − c2
Solution From the condition, we obtain abc = 4 − a2 − b2 − c2 . Therefore
we can have the following
4 4 4
2
+ 2
+ − a2 − b2 − c2 ≥ 1.
4−a 4−b 4 − c2
4
Define f (x) = 4−x
− x. We will have

f (a2 ) + f (b2 ) + f (c2 ) ≥ 1.

Since f (x) is a convex function, by Jensen inequality we have

 2
a + b2 + c 2

2 2 2
f (a ) + f (b ) + f (c ) ≥ 3f ≥1
3
36
⇒ − (a2 + b2 + c2 ) ≥ 1.
12 − (a2 + b2 + c 2 )
Now we are left to prove a2 + b2 + c2 ≤ 3. Without loss of generality, we
can assume a ≥ b ≥ c. Let a2 + b2 + c2 > 3 ⇒ abc < 1, on the other hand
a2 + b2 + c2 ≥ 3c2 > 3 ⇒ c > 1, a contradiction.

2
1.5 AM-GM and other application
Example 1.5.4 Let x be real number. Find the maximum value of

x(1 − x3 ).

Solution Let y = x(1 − x3 ), consider following calculation

3x3 + (1 − x3 ) + (1 − x3 ) + (1 − x3 ) 4 3
3y 3 = 3x3 (1 − x3 )3 ≤ [ ] = ( )4 .
4 4
So √
3
33 4 2
3y ≤ ( ) ⇒ y ≤
4 2
Example 1.5.5 Given real numbers a, b, c, d, prove that

a4 b + b4 c + c4 d + d4 a ≥ abcd(a + b + c + d)

Solution Consider wa4 b + xb4 c + yc4 d + zd4 a, then by weighted AM-GM

we obtain

wa4 b + xb4 c + yc4 d + zd4 a ≥ a4w+z b4x+w c4y+z d4z+y

Solve the system of equation



4w + z = 2,

4x + w = 1,
4y + z = 1,



4z + y = 1.
7 11 10 23
We will get(w, x, y, z) = ( 51 , 51 , 51 , 51 ).Notice thatw + x + y + z = 1, thus
consider the following
X X
wa4 b + xb4 c + yc4 d + zd4 a ≥ a2 bcd.
cyc cyc

⇒ a4 b + b4 c + c4 d + d4 a ≥ abcd(a + b + c + d)

3
Example 1.5.7 Let a, b, c be positive real numbers satisfying ab+ac+bc =
abc. Prove that
bc ac ab 1
a+1
+ b+1 + c+1 ≥
a b c 3
1 1 1
Solution From the condition, we have a + b + c
= 1. So by weighted
AM-GM, we obtain
1 1 1 1 1 1
bc ac ab ab+c ba+c ca+b
+ + ≥
aa+1 bb+1 cc+1 abc
1 1 1
a1− a b1− b c1− c 1 1 1 1
= = a− a b − b c − c = 1 1 1
abc aa bb cc
1 1 1
Notice that 3 = a · a1 b · 1b c · 1
c
≥ a a b b c c , therefore, 1
1
1 1 ≥ 13 .
aa bb cc

Example 1.5.8 Given positive real numbers x, y satisfying x + y = 2.

Prove that
2 + xy(1 + xy) ≥ 2(xy + y x )
x y
Solution Since 2
+ 2
= 1, so by weighted AM-GM, we have
x y x
y + · 1 ≥ y2
2 2
x2 2 x 2 y 2 x2 y2
⇒ 2( y + y + ) = y 2 + xy 2 + ≥ 2y x .
4 2 4 2 2
y2 2 x2
We also have 2
x + xy 2 + 2
≥ 2xy . So we obtain

2 2 x2 y 2
x y + xy(x + y) + + ≥ 2(y x + xy ).
2 2
x2 y2
Now we try to prove that x2 y 2 + x2 y + y 2 x + 2
+ 2
= 2 + xy(1 + xy).

2 2 2 x2 y 2 22 2 x2 y 2
x y +x y+y x+ + = x y + 2xy + +
2 2 2 2
x2 + 2xy + y 2
= x2 y 2 + xy + = x2 y 2 + xy + 2.
2
And we are done.

4
Exercise p11.1 Given positive real numbers x, y, z satisfy xy + yz + xz =
3xyz. Prove that

x2 y + y 2 z + z 2 x ≥ 2(x + y + z) − 3.
1 1 1
Solution From the condition we have x
+ y
+ z
= 3. Therefore we have

1 1 1
(x2 y + ) + (y 2 z + ) + (z 2 x + ) ≥ 2x + 2y + 2z,
y z x
The inequality holds true because of the AM-GM inequality.

Exercise p11.2 Give positive real numbers a, b satisfying a + b + ab = 1.

Prove that
1
+ 24ab ≥ 12(a + b).
ab
Solution Since a + b + ab = 1 ⇒ a + b = 1 − ab, so
1
+ 24ab ≥ 12(a + b) = 12(1 − ab)
ab
r
1 1
⇒ + 36ab ≥ 2 · 36ab = 12.
ab ab
and we are done.
Exercise p11.3 For all non negative real numbers x, y, z that satisfy x ≥ y,
prove that
x3 − y 3 + z 3 + 1 √
≥ (x − y) xyz.
6
Solution
x3 − y 3 + z 3 + 1 (x − y)(x2 + xy + y 2 ) + z 3 + 1
=
6 6
(x − y)(x2 − 2xy + y 2 + 3xy) + z 3 + 1
=
6
(x − y)3 + 3xy(x − y) + z 3 + 1
=
6
p6 √
≥ (x − y)6 x3 y 3 z 3 = (x − y) xyz.