A geometric inequality?

Algebra Level 4

x 2 ( x + y ) ( x + z ) + y 2 ( y + x ) ( y + z ) + z 2 ( z + x ) ( z + y ) < A {\frac{x^2}{(x+y)(x+z)}+\frac{y^2}{(y+x)(y+z)}+\frac{z^2}{(z+x)(z+y)}<A}

The above inequality is true for any positive numbers x , y , x, y, and z z . Find the smallest number A , A, and prove that your answer is right.


The answer is 1.00.

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1 solution

Arturo Presa
May 1, 2017

Since the three numbers x , x, y , y, and z z are positive numbers, then we can always construct a triangle like the one above. We divide the given triangle into four triangles represented in the figure. Let K K denote the area of the big triangle A B C ABC . Then we have that sin A = 2 K ( x + y ) ( x + z ) , \sin{A}=\frac{2K}{(x+y)(x+z)}, sin B = 2 K ( y + x ) ( y + z ) , \sin{B}=\frac{2K}{(y+x)(y+z)}, and sin C = 2 K ( z + x ) ( z + y ) ( ) . \sin{C}=\frac{2K}{(z+x)(z+y)} (*). Clearly, the sum of the areas of the three small triangles that share vertices with the big triangle is less than the area of the big triangle. Hence, we have that 1 2 x 2 sin A + 1 2 y 2 sin B + 1 2 z 2 sin C < K . \frac{1}{2}x^2 \sin{A}+\frac{1}{2}y^2 \sin{B}+\frac{1}{2}z^2 \sin{C}<K. Now, using (*) and dividing both sides of the inequality by K , K, we obtain that x 2 ( x + y ) ( x + z ) + y 2 ( y + x ) ( y + z ) + z 2 ( z + x ) ( z + y ) < 1. \frac{x^2}{(x+y)(x+z)}+\frac{y^2}{(y+x)(y+z)}+\frac{z^2}{(z+x)(z+y)}<1. But 1 is the smallest possible number for which the inequality is always true for any positive values of x , y , x, y, and z z . Indeed, if you fix y y and z z and you make x 0 , x \rightarrow 0, then the expression in the left side of the inequality tends to 1.

The previous solution can be interesting due to its connection with geometry, but there is an even simpler solution here. It is based on the following reasoning. Since the numbers x , y x, y and z z are positive then 0 < 2 x y z 0< 2xyz Adding the quantity x 2 y + x 2 z + y 2 x + y 2 z + z 2 x + z 2 y x^2y+x^2z+y^2x+y^2z+z^2x+z^2y to both sides of the inequality, and rearranging them conveniently, we get x 2 ( y + z ) + y 2 ( x + z ) + z 2 ( x + y ) < ( x + y ) ( x + z ) ( y + z ) . x^2(y+z)+y^2(x+z)+z^2(x+y)<(x+y)(x+z)(y+z). Dividing both sides by ( x + y ) ( x + z ) ( y + z ) , (x+y)(x+z)(y+z), x 2 ( x + y ) ( x + z ) + y 2 ( y + x ) ( y + z ) + z 2 ( z + x ) ( z + y ) < 1. \frac{x^2}{(x+y)(x+z)}+\frac{y^2}{(y+x)(y+z)}+\frac{z^2}{(z+x)(z+y)}<1. And we can also prove that 1 is the smallest possible number for which the inequality is always true as we did it above.

FYI I converted the answer into a decimal, so that the integer 1 isn't easily guessed.

To do so when creating the problem, just enter the answer as 1.0.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 1 month ago

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OK, thank you for letting me know!

Arturo Presa - 4 years, 1 month ago

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