Algebra 2.
5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Arithmetic Mean–Geometric Mean Inequality
1 Problem Set 11
Problem 1: Show that (ab + cd)(ac + bd) ≥ 4abcd for nonnegative real numbers a, b, c, d.
Problem 2: Show that, for all positive real numbers p, q, r, and s,
(p2 + p + 1)(q 2 + q + 1)(r2 + r + 1)(s2 + s + 1) ≥ 81pqrs.
h
Problem 3: Prove that for integer n we have:
n+1 n
at
n! ≤
2
Problem 4: Positive numbers x, y, and z satisfy x3 y 2 z = 36. Compute the least possible value of
2x + y + 3z.
Problem 5: Show that a2 +a3
a1 + a3a+a
2
4
eM
+· · ·+ aann−1
+a1
+ a1a+a
n
2
≥ 2n for all positive reals a1 , a2 , · · · , an .
Problem 6: Solve the following equation for all reals x, y: x4 + y 4 + 2 = 4xy.
Problem 7: x, y, and z are real numbers such that xyz = 10. What is the maximum possible
value of x3 y 3 z 3 − 3x4 − 12y 2 − 12z 4 ?
om
Problem 8: Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that abc = 1. Prove that:
Y
(a5 + a4 + a3 + a2 + a + 1) ≥ 8(a2 + a + 1)(b2 + b + 1)(c2 + c + 1).
cyc
Problem 9: Prove the following inequality:
es
n(n − 1)
x1 + 2x2 + 3x3 + · · · + nxn ≤ + x1 + x22 + x33 + · · · + xnn
2
Aw
where xi > 0 for all i from 1 to n inclusive.
Problem 10: Prove that for all positive real numbers a, b, and c,
a3 b3 c3
+ + ≥a+b+c
bc ca ab
and determine when equality occurs.
Problem 11: Let a, b be real numbers. Prove the inequality
2(a4 + a2 b2 + b4 ) ≥ 3(a3 b + ab3 ).
Problem 12: If x, y, z are arbitrary positive numbers with xyz = 1, prove the inequality
√ √ √
x2 + y 2 + z 2 + xy + yz + zx ≥ 2( x + y + z).
1
Algebra 2.5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Problem 13: Show that for all non-negative numbers a, b,
1 + a2017 + b2017 ≥ a10 b7 + a7 b2000 + a2000 b10 .
When is equality attained?
Problem 14: Suppose a, b, c are positive numbers. Prove that
2
a b c 2 1 1
+ + + 1 ≥ (2a + b + c) + + ,
b c a a b c
with equality if and only if a = b = c.
h
Problem 15: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers.
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(i) Prove that 4(a3 + b3 ) ≥ (a + b)3 .
(ii) Prove that 9(a3 + b3 + c3 ) ≥ (a + b + c)3 .
Problem 16: Let x, y and z be positive real numbers. Show that x2 + xy 2 + xyz 2 ≥ 4xyz − 4.
eM
Problem 17: There is a smallest positive real number a such that there exists a positive real
number b such that all the roots of the polynomial x3 − ax2 + bx − a are real. In fact, for this value
of a the value of b is unique. What is the value of b?
Problem 18: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
2a2 b2 2b2 c2 2c2 a2
om
a+b b+c c+a
5 5
+ 5 5
+ 5 5
≤ + +
a +b b +c c +a 2ab 2bc 2ca
Problem 19: Prove that
1 1 1 1 1
1− + + ··· + ≥ √
2012
.
2012 2 3 2013 2013
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Problem 20: Prove the following inequality:
k
Y k
X k
X
xi · xin−1 ≤ xn+k−1
i ,
Aw
i=1 i=1 i=1
where xi > 0, k ∈ N, n ∈ N.
Problem 21: Find the least real number K such that for all real numbers x and y, we have
(1 + 20x2 )(1 + 19y 2 ) ≥ Kxy.
Problem 22: (i) Prove that, for all positive integers m,
1 3 5 2m − 1
2− 2− 2− ··· 2 − ≤ m!
m m m m
(ii) Prove that if a, b, c, d, and e are positive real numbers then
a 4 b 4 c 4 d 4 e 4 b c d e a
+ + + + ≥ + + + + .
b c d e a a b c d e
2
Algebra 2.5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Problem 23: For positive real numbers a, b, c, and d such that a2 + b2 + c2 + d2 = 1 prove that
3
a2 b2 cd + ab2 c2 d + abc2 d2 + a2 bcd2 + a2 bc2 d + ab2 cd2 ≤ ,
32
and determine the cases of equality.
Problem 24: The real numbers x0 , x1 , . . . , xn are known to satisfy x0 > x1 > · · · > xn . Prove
the inequality
1 1 1
x0 + + + ··· + ≥ xn + 2n.
x0 − x1 x1 − x2 xn−1 − xn
h
a+b b+c c+a
Problem 25: If a, b, c > 0, what is the smallest possible value of c + a + b ? (Note
that ⌊x⌋ denotes the greatest integer less than or equal to x.)
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Problem 26: Let a, b ≥ 0. Prove that
√ p p
2 a(a + b)3 + b a2 + b2 ≤ 3(a2 + b2 ),
with equality if and only if a = b.
eM
Problem 27: Determine the maximum value attained by
x4 − x2
x6 + 2x3 − 1
om
over real numbers x > 1.
Problem 28: Prove that for any positive a, b, c,
r r r
3
a 5 b c 5
+ + 7 >
b c a 2
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Problem 29: Suppose a, b, c are real numbers such that a + b + c = 0 and a2 + b2 + c2 = 1. Prove
that
1
a2 b2 c2 ≤ ,
54
Aw
and determine the cases of equality.
Problem 30: Prove the inequalities
nn ≤ (n!)2 ≤ [(n + 1)(n + 2)/6]n ,
for every positive integer n.
Problem 31: Let n ≥ 2 be some fixed positive integer and suppose that a1 , a2 , . . . , an are positive
real numbers satisfying a1 + a2 + · · · + an = 2n − 1.
Find the minimum possible value of
a1 a2 a3 an
+ + + ··· + .
1 1 + a1 1 + a1 + a2 1 + a1 + a2 + · · · + an−1
3
Algebra 2.5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Problem 32: Given that x, y, z are positive real numbers satisfying xyz = 32, find the minimum
value of
x2 + 4xy + 4y 2 + 2z 2 .
Problem 33: Find all positive real numbers x, y, and z that satisfy both of the following equations.
xyz = 1
√
x + y + z 2 = 4x yz − 2yz.
2 2
Problem 34: Let x, y, z be positive real numbers satisfying
h
1
≤ xy + yz + zx ≤ 3.
3
at
Determine the range of values for (i) xyz, and (ii) x + y + z.
Problem 35: Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. Prove that
2a 2b 2c a b c
a2
+ 2 + 2
eM
+ bc b + ca c + ab
of a1 , a2 , · · · , an taken k at a time. Show that
Sk Sn−k ≥
≤
2
n
k
+ +
bc ca ab
Problem 36: Let a1 , a2 , · · · , an be positive real numbers, and let Sk be the sum of the products
a1 a2 · · · an
om
for k = 1, 2, · · · , n − 1.
Problem 37: Find, with proof, the minimum value of (x + y)(y + z) where x, y, z are positive real
numbers satisfying the condition
xyz(x + y + z) = 1.
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Problem 38: Let x, y and z be positive real numbers such that xyz = 1. Prove that
r r r
3
x 3
y z
(1 + x) (1 + y) (1 + z) ≥ 2 1 + + + 3 .
Aw
z x y
Problem 39: Let a, b, c and d be positive real numbers such that
a + b + c + d = 12
and
abcd = 27 + ab + ac + ad + bc + bd + cd.
Find all possible values of a, b, c, d satisfying these equations.
Problem 40: Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a b c a+b+c
1+ 1+ 1+ ≥2 1+ √ 3
.
b c a abc
4
Algebra 2.5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Problem 41: Let a, b be real numbers such that ab > 0. Prove that
r
2 2
3 a b (a + b)
2 a2 + 10ab + b2
≤ .
4 12
Determine when equality occurs.
Hence, or otherwise, prove for all real numbers a, b that
r
2 2
3 a b (a + b)
2 a2 + ab + b2
≤ .
4 3
Determine the cases of equality.
h
Problem 42: Let m and n be positive integers such that n ≤ m. Prove that
at
(m + n)!
2n n! ≤ ≤ (m2 + m)n
(m − n)!
Problem 43: Let x, y and z be positive real numbers such that xy + yz + xz = 3xyz. Prove that
and determine when equality holds. eM
x2 y + y 2 z + z 2 x ≥ 2(x + y + z) − 3
Problem 44: Let a1 , a2 , . . . , an be positive real numbers such that a1 + a2 + · · · + an < 1. Prove
that
om
a1 a2 · · · an [1 − (a1 + a2 + · · · + an )] 1
≤ n+1 .
(a1 + a2 + · · · + an )(1 − a1 )(1 − a2 ) · · · (1 − an ) n
Problem 45: Here we propose an alternative proof of the AM–GM inequality. For this problem,
please refrain from using the AM–GM inequality in any form.
(a) Suppose x1 , x2 , . . . , xn are non-negative real numbers satisfying x1 x2 · · · xn = 1. Prove, via
es
induction on n, that x1 + x2 + · · · + xn ≥ n, with equality if and only if x1 = x2 = · · · = xn = 1.
(b) Using part (a), prove the AM–GM inequality for n variables a1 , a2 , . . . , an : namely show that
a1 + a2 + · · · + an √
Aw
≥ n a1 a2 · · · an ,
n
with equality if and only if a1 = a2 = · · · = an . In particular, prove this by normalization:
define new variables x1 , x2 , . . . , xn in terms of a1 , a2 , . . . , an that satisfy x1 x2 · · · xn = 1, and
apply part (a) to finish the proof.
Problem 46: Let a, b and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
a2 b(b − c) b2 c(c − a) c2 a(a − b)
+ + ≥ 0.
a+b b+c c+a
Problem 47: Let n ≥ 3 be an integer, and let a2 , a3 , · · · , an be positive real numbers that satisfy
a2 · a3 · · · an = 1. Prove that
(a2 + 1)2 · (a3 + 1)3 · · · (an + 1)n > nn .
5
Algebra 2.5 AwesomeMath Summer Program 2024
Problem 48: Suppose that a, b, c > 0 such that abc = 1. Prove that
ab bc ca
5 5
+ 5 5
+ ≤ 1.
ab + a + b bc + b + c ca + c5 + a5
Problem 49: If x, y, z are positive real numbers, prove that
(x + y + z)2 (yz + zx + xy)2 ≤ 3 y 2 + yz + z 2 z 2 + zx + x2 x2 + xy + y 2 .
Problem 50: Let a, b, and c be positive real numbers. Prove that
(a5 − a2 + 3)(b5 − b2 + 3)(c5 − c2 + 3) ≥ (a + b + c)3 .
h
at
eM
om
es
Aw
