50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities

238

PROBLEMS


Problem 1: (1958 AMC) For values of x less than 1 but greater than 4, the expression
2 2
2 2
2

x
x x
has:
(A) no maximum or minimum value
(B) a minimum value of +1
(C) a maximum value of +1
(D) a minimum value of 1
(E) a maximum value of 1


Problem 2: If xyz = 27, x, y, and z are positive, find the minimum value of x + y + z.


Problem 3: x and y are real positive numbers with x + 2y = 1. Find the smallest value for
y x
1 1
.

Problem 4: Let 5 a , find the smallest value of
5
4

a
a .


Problem 5: Show that (x + y)(y + z) 2 if xyz (x + y + z) = 1, where x, y, z are positive
numbers.


Problem 6: Find the smallest value of .
) (
1
b b a
a

a > b > 0.

Problem 7: Find the smallest value of x + y if 1
y
b
x
a
. x, y, a, and b are positive real
numbers.


Problem 8: Find the greatest possible value of 1 3 a + 1 3 b + 1 3 c if a + b + c
= 1.
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
239

Problem 9: Find the smallest value for
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
b
b
a
a
1 1
if a + b = 1, a > 0, b > 0.
(A) 6 (B)
4
25
(C)
4
27
(D) None of them.

Problem 10: (1979 AMC) For each positive number x, let
.
1 1
2
1 1
) (
3
3
3
6
6
6
|
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|

\
|
+ +
|
.
|

\
|
+

|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x f The minimum value of f(x) is
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 6


Problem 11: Show that
c b
a
+
+
a c
b
+
+
b a
c
+
> 2. a, b, c > 0,

Problem 12: Show that
8
1
4 4
> + b a if a + b = 1.

Problem 13: The smallest value of cd bd bc ad ac ab d c b a + + + + + + + + +
2 2 2 2
is 10
if abcd = 1. Prove it for positive numbers a, b, c, and d.


Problem 14: Farmer Bob has 96 square inches of wrapping paper. Find the volume of the
largest rectangular box he can wrap with the paper.


Problem 15: (1977 AMC) Find the smallest integer n such that
) ( ) (
4 4 4 2 2 2 2
z y x n z y x + + s + + for all real numbers x, y, and z.
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 6 (E) There is no such integer n.

Problem 16: (1975 AMC) Which of the following inequalities are satisfied for all real
numbers a, b, c, x, y, z which satisfy the conditions x < a, y < b, and z < c?
I. xy + yz + zx < ab + bc + ca
II. x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
< a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2

III. xyz < abc
(A) None are satisfied. (B) I only (C) II only (D) III only (E) All are satisfied.
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
240

Problem 17: Show that
2 2
6
c b
a
+
2 2
6
c a
b
+ ca bc ab
b a
c
+ + >
2 2
6
.


Problem 18: Show that
A
1
+
B
1
+
t
9 1
>
C
if A, B, C are three interior angles of AABC.

Problem 19: Show that
a c b
a
+
+
b a c
b
+
+
c b a
c
+
3
if a, b, c are three sides of AABC.


Problem 20: Prove that 1 3 2
2 2 2
s + + + abc c b a if a + b + c = 1. a, b, c are positive
numbers.


Problem 21: If a, b, c R e show that: ) ( 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
c b a
a c c b b a
+ + > + + + + + .


Problem 22: Show that 9
1
1
1
1 >
|
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|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
y x
if x +y = 1 and x and y are positive numbers.


Problem 23: If a, b, and c are positive numbers, show that
)
3
( 3 )
2
( 2
3
abc
c b a
ab
b a

+ +
s
+



Problem 24:
) , 0 ( + e c b a
.
1 = + + c b a
. Show that
3 s + + c b a
.


Problem 25: For a > b > c, show that .
4 1 1
c a c b b a
>

Problem 26: If a, b, and c are positive integers less than 1, show that not all of (1a)b,
(1b)c, and (1c)a greater than1/4.
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
241

SOLUTIONS:

Problem 1: Solution: (E).
1
2 2
2
1
2

x
x x
y = ]
1
1
1 [
2
1

x
x = ]
1
1
) 1 [(
2
1
x
x

Note that 4 < x < 1, so 1 x > 0.

By AMGM: 2 )
1
1
)( 1 ( 2
1
1
) 1 (

x
x
x
x .
Equality occurs when
x
x

1
1
) 1 ( . Solving we get x = 0. Since y is negative 1,
y is a maximum when x = 0.

Problem 2: Solution: 9.
From the AMGM inequality, we have:

3 27 ) (
3
3
3


xyz
z y x
. So 9 z y x .

The minimum value of x + y + z is 9. This is true when x = y = z = 3.


Problem 3: Solution: 2 2 3 .
Method 1:

y x
1 1
=
y
x
x
y
y
y x
x
y x

2
3
2 2
.

Applying AM-GM yields
2 2
2
2
2

y
x
x
y
y
x
x
y
. Substituting this into the above equation yields
y x
1 1
2 2 3 .
This value can be achieved when
y
x
x
y

2
, which gives 2 2 x and
2
1 2
y .

50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
242

Method 2:
We are given that x + 2y = 1. Applying Cauchys inequality yields:
y x
1 1
= 2 2 3
2
) 2 1 (
2
2 1
2

y x y x
.
So the smallest value for
y x
1 1
is 2 2 3 . This value can be achieved by letting
2 2 x and
2
1 2
y .

Problem 4: Solution: 9.
Applying AM-GM yields
5
4

a
a = 9 5 4 5
5
4
) 5 ( 2 5
5
4
5

a
a
a
a .

The smallest value is 9, which can be achieved when
5
4
5

a
a or a = 7.

Problem 5: Solution:
(x + y)(y + z) = xz + y(x + y + z) 2 ) ( z y x xyz = 2.

Problem 6: Solution:
) (
) (
1
b a
b b a
a

+ , 3
) (
1

b b a
b
The smallest value 3 is achieved when a = 2, b = 1.


Problem 7: Solution:
From a > 0, b > 0, x > 0, y > 0 and 1
y
b
x
a
, we get
x > a, y > b (otherwise
y
b
x
a
would be greater than 1) and 1

xy
bx ay
.
Therefore we can write x a > 0, y b > 0, and xy ay bx = 0 (1)
Add ab to both sides of (1): xy ay bx + ab = ab (2)
Factoring (1): (x a)(y b) = ab.

By AM GM:
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
243

x + y = (x a) + (y b) + (a + b) ) ( ) )( ( 2 b a b y a x + +
= b a ab + + 2 =
2
) ( b a + .
Thus (
2
) ( ) b a y x + > + (3)
We know that x and y satisfy 1 = +
y
b
x
a
and equality occurs in (3) when x a = y b .
Therefore we have

=
=
.
) )( (
b y a x
ab b y a x

Solving we get ab a x + = and ab b y + = .
Then we have ab a y x + = +
min
) ( + ab b + =
2
) ( b a + .

Problem 8: Solution:
Let , 1 3 + = a x , 1 3 + = b y , 1 3 + = c z t = x + y + z.
Then zx yz xy z y x t 2 2 2
2 2 2 2
+ + + + + = .

By AM GM (25.14), we have t
2
3(x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
) = 18.
Therefore 2 3 s t . Equality occurs when a = b = c =
3
1
.

Problem 9: Solution:
|
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\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
b
b
a
a
1 1
=
b
a
a
b
ab
ab + +
|
.
|

\
|
+
1
2
16
15
16
1
2
1
+ + + = + + >
ab ab
ab
ab
ab
ab 16
15
2
5
+ >
2
)
2
( 16
15
2
5
b a +
+ > =
4
25
.
Note: The following method is not working:
|
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\
|
+
|
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|

\
|
+
b
b
a
a
1 1
=
b
a
a
b
ab
ab
+ +
|
.
|

\
|
+
1
1

4 2 2 = + > .
This is because the condition
ab
ab 1
1
= or ab = 1 will not be true. Considering ab = 1 and
a + b = 1 we get (a b)
2
= 1.

Problem 10: Solution: (E).
By observing that ,
1
2
1
6
6
2
3
3
x
x
x
x + + =
(

+ one sees that

50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
244

f (x) =
|
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\
|
+
3
1
x
x
|
.
|

\
|
+
3
3
1
x
x = 3
|
.
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\
|
+
x
x
1
3 2 = 6.
f(x) = 3
|
.
|

\
|
+
x
x
1
has a minimum value of 6, which is taken on at x = 1.

Problem 11: Solution:
Since ,
2
c b a
c b a
+ +
s +
so
c b
a
+
= ,
2
2
c b a
a
c b a
a
c b a
a
+ +
=
+ +
>
+

similarly
a c
b
+
,
2
c b a
b
+ +
>

b a
c
+
,
2
c b a
c
+ +
>
Add them together we are done.

Problem 12: Solution:
By AM GM,
4
1
2
1
2 2
2 2
2 2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
| +
>
+ b a b a
.
16
1
4
1
2 2 2
2
2
2
2
2 2 4 4
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
(
(

|
.
|

\
| +
>
|
|
.
|

\
| +
>
+ b a b a b a
.
Therefore
8
1
16
1
2
4 4
= > + b a .
Problem 13: Proof:
cd bd bc ad ac ab d c b a + + + + + + + + +
2 2 2 2

= (a b)
2
+ (c d)
2
+ 3ab + ac + ad + bc + bd + 3cd
3ab + ac + ad + bc + bd + 3cd = 3(ab + cd) + (ac + bd) + (ad + bc)
= 3
|
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\
|
+
ab
ab
1
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
ac
ac
1
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
ad
ad
1
3 2 + 2 + 2 = 10.

Problem 14: Solution: 64.
Let the box have dimensions x, y, and z. The amount of wrapping paper should equal the
surface area of the box, or

50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
245

48 ) ( 96 ) ( 2 = + + ==> = + + zx yz xy zx yz xy
From the AM-GM inequality, we have
3
2
3
) ( ) )( )( (
3
xyz zx yz xy
zx yz xy
= >
+ +
, that is
3
2
) ( 16 xyz > .
So the maximum value of xyz, the volume of the box, is 64. This value can be achieved
by letting x = y = z = 4.

Problem 15: Solution: (B).
Let a = x
2
, b = y
2
and c = z
2
. By AMGM, a
2
+ b
2
2ab, we see that
(a + b + c)
2
= a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
+ 2ab + 2ac + 2bc
a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
+ (a
2
+ b
2
) + (a
2
+ c
2
) + (b
2
+ c
2
)
= 3(a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
).
Therefore n 3. Choosing a = b = c > 0 shows n is not less than three.

Problem 16: Solution: (A).
None of the inequalities are satisfied if a, b, c, x, y, z are chosen to be 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 10,
respectively.

Problem 17: Solution:
We know that x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
xy + xz + yz.
Therefore we can have
2
3
|
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\
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bc
a
+
2
3
|
|
.
|

\
|
ac
b
+
2
3 3
2
3
abc
b a
ab
a
>
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
bc a
c b
2
3 3
+
c ab
c a
2
3 3

=
2
|
.
|

\
|
c
ab
+
2
|
.
|

\
|
a
bc
+
ca
c ab
b
ac
2
2
>
|
.
|

\
|
+
ab
abc
2
+
bc
bc a
2

= a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
ab + bc + ac
Therefore
2 2
6
c b
a
+
2 2
6
c a
b
+ ca bc ab
b a
c
+ + >
2 2
6
.

Problem 18: Solution:
Method 1:
We know that A + B + C = and A > 0, B > 0, C > 0.
Therefore
A
1
+
B
1
+ ) (
1 1
C
C B A
B
C B A
A
C B A
C B A C
+ +
+
+ +
+
+ +
+ +
=
= )] ( ) ( ) ( 3 [
1
) (
1
C
A
A
C
C
B
B
C
B
A
A
B
C
C
C
B
C
A
B
C
B
B
B
A
A
C
A
B
A
A
+ + + + + + = + + + + + + + +
t t


50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
246

t t
9
) 2 2 2 3 (
1
= + + + > .

Method 2:

We know that A + B + C = and A > 0, B > 0, C > 0.
By AM GM,
A
1
+
B
1
+
3
3
3 1
3
1
ABC ABC C
= >
We have
3
3 ABC C B A > + + = t
t
3 1
3
>
ABC
.
Therefore
t
9 1 1 1
> + +
C B A
.

Problem 19: Solution:
Method 1:
We have x > 0, y > 0, z > 0. By AMGM (25.17), 9
1 1 1
) ( >
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + + +
z y x
z y x .
We can write a + b + c = b + c a + c + a b + a + b c
Therefore 9
1 1 1
) ( > |
.
|

\
|
+
+
+
+
+
+ +
c b a b a c a c b
c b a .

Method 2:
Let 2x = b + c a, 2y = a + c b, 2z = a + b c with x, y, z > 0.
Then a = y + z, b = z + x, c = x + y.
Therefore
a c b
a
+
+
b a c
b
+
+
c b a
c
+
=
z
y x
y
x z
x
z y
2 2 2
+
+
+
+
+

= 3 ) 2 2 2 (
2
1
) (
2
1
= + + > + + + + +
z
y
y
z
z
x
x
z
y
x
x
y
.

Problem 20: Solution:
Note that , 2
2 2 2 2 2
c ab c b b a > +
, 2
2 2 2 2 2
abc a c c b > +
, 2
2 2 2 2 2
bc a b a a c > +
So we have
,
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
bc a abc c ab a c c b b a + + > + +
so (ab + bc + ca)
2
3(ab
2
c + abc
2
+ a
2
bc) = 3(a + b + c) abc.
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
247

So we have , ) ( 3 2 ) ( 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
abc c b a c b a ca bc ab c b a + + + + + > + + + + +
That is . ) ( 3 2 ) (
2 2 2 2
abc c b a c b a c b a + + + + + > + +
Note that a + b + c = 1, we are done.

Problem 21: Solution:
Since ) ( 2 ) ( 2 2
2
2 2 2 2 2 2
b a
b
ab
a b a
ab
b a
+ > + + > + > +

That is,
2
) (
2
2 2
b a
b a
+
> + .

Taking the square roots in both sides: ) (
2
2
2
2
2 2
b a b a
b a
+ > + > + (1)
Similarly we get: ) (
2
2
2 2
c b
c b
+ > + (2)
) (
2
2
2 2
a c
a c
+ > + (3)
Adding (1), (2), and (3):
) ( 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
c b a
a c c b b a
+ + > + + + + +

Problem 22: Solution:
Method 1:
) 1 )( 1 ( )
1
1 )(
1
1 (
y
y x
x
y x
y x
+
+
+
+ = + +

) ( 2 5 ) 2 )( 2 (
y
x
x
y
y
x
x
y
+ + = + + =

9 2 2 5 = + >


Method 2:
We know that
4
1
1 s = + xy y x .
. 9
1
1
1
1
. 9 8 1
2
1
1
1
1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
>
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
= + > + = +
+
+ = + + + =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
y x
xy xy xy
y x
xy y x y x


Problem 23: Solution:
50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities
248

)
3
( 3 )
2
( 2
3
abc
c b a
ab
b a

3
3 2 abc c ab

3
3 2 abc ab c
.
We know that
3 3
3 3 abc ab ab c ab ab c
is true. Therefore, the original
inequality is true.

Problem 24: Solution:
3 c b a 3 ) (
2
c b a
or
2 2 2 2 ac bc ab

b a ab 2

c b bc 2

c a ac 2
or
2 ) ( ) ( ) ( 2 2 2 c a c b b a ac bc ab
.
Therefore the original inequality is true.

Problem 25: Solution:
Since a b > 0, b c > 0, a c > 0, we assume that a b = x, b c = y (x, y > 0).
Thus a c= x + y. The original inequality becomes:
y x y x

4 1 1

4 )
1 1
)( (
y x
y x 4 2
x
y
y
x
.
We know that 2
x
y
y
x
. Therefore the original inequality is true.
Equality occurs when x = y.

Problem 26: Solution:

We assume that (1a)b >
4
1
(1b)c >
4
1
and1c)a >
4
1
.
Since a is less than 1, 1a0.
2
1
4
1
) 1 (
2
) 1 (


b a
b a
1a + b > 1 (1)
Similarly, we get 1 b + c > 1 (2)
1 c + a > 1 (3)
Adding (1), (2), and (3) we get: 3 > 3 that is not possible.
Therefore not all of (1a)b, (1b)c, and (1c)a greater than 1/4.