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

PROBLEMS

Problem 1: (1958 AMC) For values of x less than 1 but greater than – 4, the expression
x2  2x  2
has:
2x  2
(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
1 1
 .
x y

4
Problem 4: Let a  5 , find the smallest value of a  .
a 5

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

numbers.

1
Problem 6: Find the smallest value of a  . a > b > 0.
(a  b)b

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

Problem 8: Find the greatest possible value of 3a  1 + 3b  1 + 3c  1 if a + b + c

= 1.

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

 1  1
Problem 9: Find the smallest value for  a   b   if a + b = 1, a > 0, b > 0.
 a  b
25 27
(A) 6 (B) (C) (D) None of them.
4 4

Problem 10: (1979 AMC) For each positive number x, let

6
 1  6 1 
x   x  6 2
f ( x)  
x  x 
3
. The minimum value of f(x) is
 1  3 1 
x   x  3 
 x  x 
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 6

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

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

Problem 13: The smallest value of a 2  b2  c2  d 2  ab  ac  ad  bc  bd  cd 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
( x 2  y 2  z 2 )2  n( x 4  y 4  z 4 ) 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. x2 + y2 + z2 < a2 + b2 + c2
III. xyz < abc
(A) None are satisfied. (B) I only (C) II only (D) III only (E) All are satisfied.

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

a6 b6 c6
Problem 17: Show that + +  ab  bc  ca .
b 2c 2 a 2c 2 a 2b 2

1 1 1 9
Problem 18: Show that + +  if A, B, C are three interior angles of ABC.
A B C 

a b c
Problem 19: Show that + + ≥3
bca cab abc
if a, b, c are three sides of ABC.

Problem 20: Prove that a 2  b2  c 2  2 3abc  1 if a + b + c = 1. a, b, c are positive

numbers.

Problem 21: If a, b, c  R ，show that: a 2  b2  b2  c2  c2  a 2  2 (a  b  c) .

 1  1 
Problem 22: Show that 1  1    9 if x +y = 1 and x and y are positive numbers.
 x  y

Problem 23: If a, b, and c are positive numbers, show that ：

ab abc 3
2(  ab )  3(  abc )
2 3

Problem 24: a、b、c  (0,  ) . a  b  c  1 . Show that a  b  c  3 .

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

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

SOLUTIONS:

Problem 1: Solution: (E).

1 x2  2x  2 1 1 1 1
y  = [x 1  ] =  [(1  x)  ]
2 x 1 2 x 1 2 1 x

Note that – 4 < x < 1, so 1 – x > 0.

1 1
By AM–GM: (1  x)   2 (1  x)( )  2.
1 x 1 x
1
Equality occurs when (1  x)  . Solving we get x = 0. Since y is negative 1,
1 x
y is a maximum when x = 0.

Problem 2: Solution: 9.
From the AM–GM inequality, we have:

x yz 3
 ( xyz )  3 27  3 . So x  y  z  9 .
3

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

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

1 1 x  2y x  2y 2y x
 =   3  .
x y x y x y

Applying AM-GM yields

2y x 2y x
 2   2 2 . Substituting this into the above equation yields
x y x y
1 1
  3 2 2 .
x y
2y x 2 1
This value can be achieved when  , which gives x  2  2 and y  .
x y 2

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

Method 2:
We are given that x + 2y = 1. Applying Cauchy’s inequality yields:
1 1 1 2 (1  2 ) 2
 =    3 2 2 .
x y x 2y x  2y
1 1
So the smallest value for  is 3  2 2 . This value can be achieved by letting
x y
2 1
x  2  2 and y  .
2

Problem 4: Solution: 9.
Applying AM-GM yields
4 4 4
a = a 5  5  2 (a  5)   5  4  5  9.
a 5 a 5 a 5

4
The smallest value is 9, which can be achieved when a  5  or a = 7.
a 5

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

Problem 6: Solution:
1 1
a  ( a  b) + b   3,
(a  b)b (a  b)b
The smallest value 3 is achieved when a = 2, b = 1.

Problem 7: Solution:
a b
From a > 0, b > 0, x > 0, y > 0 and   1 , we get
x y
a b ay  bx
x > a, y > b (otherwise  would be greater than 1) and  1.
x y xy
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:

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

x + y = (x – a) + (y – b) + (a + b) ≥ 2 ( x  a)( y  b)  (a  b)
= 2 ab  a  b = ( a  b )2 .
Thus ( x  y)  ( a  b )2 (3)
a b
We know that x and y satisfy   1 and equality occurs in (3) when x – a = y – b .
x y
( x  a)( y  b)  ab
Therefore we have 
 x  a  y  b.
Solving we get x  a  ab and y  b  ab .
Then we have ( x  y)min  a  ab + b  ab = ( a  b )2 .

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

By AM – GM (25.14), we have t2 ≤ 3(x2 + y2 + z2) = 18.

1
Therefore t  3 2 . Equality occurs when a = b = c = .
3

Problem 9: Solution:
 1  1  1  b a 1 1 15
 a   b   =  ab      ab   2  ab   2
 a  b  ab  a b ab 16ab 16ab
5 15 5 15 25
    = .
2 16ab 2 16( a  b ) 2 4
2
 1  1   ab 1  b a
Note: The following method is not working:  a   b   =     
 a  b   1 ab  a b
 22 4.
ab 1
This is because the condition  or ab = 1 will not be true. Considering ab = 1 and
1 ab
a + b = 1 we get (a – b)2 = – 1.

Problem 10: Solution: (E).

2
 1 1
By observing that  x3  3   x 6  2  6 , one sees that
 x  x

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

3
 1  1  1
f (x) =  x     x 3  3  = 3  x   ≥ 3 × 2 = 6.
 x  x   x
 1
f(x) = 3  x   has a minimum value of 6, which is taken on at x = 1.
 x

Problem 11: Solution:

abc
Since a bc  ,
2
a a a 2a
so =   ,
bc a bc a  b  c abc
2
b 2b
similarly  ,
ca abc
c 2c
 ,
ab abc
Add them together we are done.

Problem 12: Solution:

a 2  b2  a  b   1 
2 2
1
By AM – GM,      .
2  2  2 4
2
a 4  b 4  a 2  b 2   a  b    1 
2 2 2
1
          .
2  2   2    4  16
1 1
Therefore a 4  b 4  2   .
16 8
Problem 13: Proof:
a 2  b2  c2  d 2  ab  ac  ad  bc  bd  cd
= (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)
 1   1   1 
= 3  ab   +  ac   +  ad   ≥ 3 × 2 + 2 + 2 = 10.
 ab   ac   ad 

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

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

2( xy  yz  zx)  96  ( xy  yz  zx)  48

From the AM-GM inequality, we have
xy  yz  zx 3
 ( xy )( yz )( zx)  3 ( xyz ) 2 , that is 16  3 ( xyz ) 2 .
3
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 = x2, b = y2 and c = z2. By AMGM, a2 + b2 ≥ 2ab, we see that
(a + b + c)2 = a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2ac + 2bc
≤ a2 + b2 + c2 + (a2 + b2) + (a2 + c2) + (b2 + c2)
= 3(a2 + b2 + c2).
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 x2 + y2 + z2 ≥ xy + xz + yz.
Therefore we can have
2 2 2
 a 3   b3   a 3  a 3b3 b 3c 3 a 3c 3
  +   +    + 2 +
 bc   ac   ab  abc 2 a bc ab 2c
2 2 2
 ab   bc   ac  ab 2c abc 2 a 2bc
=  +  +   + +
 c   a  b  ca ab bc
2 2 2
= a + b + c ≥ ab + bc + ac
a6 b6 c6
Therefore 2 2 + 2 2 + 2 2  ab  bc  ca .
bc ac ab

Problem 18: Solution:

Method 1:
We know that A + B + C = π and A > 0, B > 0, C > 0.
Therefore
1 1 1 1 A B C A B C A B C
+ +  (   )
A B C A B C A B C
1 A B C A B C A B C 1 B A C B C A
= (         )  [3  (  )  (  )  (  )]
 A A A B B B C C C  A B B C A C

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

1 9
 (3  2  2  2)  .
 

Method 2:

We know that A + B + C = π and A > 0, B > 0, C > 0.

1 1 1 1 3
By AM – GM, + +  3 3 3
A B C ABC ABC
1 3
We have   A  B  C  3  3 ABC   .
3
ABC 
1 1 1 9
Therefore    .
A B C 

Problem 19: Solution:

Method 1:
1 1 1
We have x > 0, y > 0, z > 0. By AMGM (25.17), ( x  y  z )     9 .
x y z
We can write a + b + c = b + c – a + c + a – b + a + b – c
 1 1 1 
Therefore (a  b  c)     9.
bc a c  a b a bc

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.
a b c yz zx x y
Therefore + + =  
bca cab abc 2x 2y 2z
1 y x z x z y 1
= (      )   (2  2  2)  3 .
2 x y x z y z 2

Problem 20: Solution:

Note that a 2b2  b2c 2  2ab2c,
b2c 2  c 2 a 2  2abc 2 ,
c 2 a 2  a 2b2  2a 2bc,
So we have
a 2b2  b2c 2  c 2a 2  ab2c  abc 2  a 2bc,
so (ab + bc + ca)2 ≥ 3(ab2c + abc2 + a2bc) = 3(a + b + c) ∙ abc.
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50 AMC Lectures Problems Book 1 (25) AM-GM Inequalities

So we have a 2  b2  c 2  2(ab  bc  ca)  a 2  b2  c 2  2 3(a  b  c)abc ,

That is (a  b  c)2  a 2  b2  c 2  2 3(a  b  c)abc .
Note that a + b + c = 1, we are done.

Problem 21: Solution:

Since a 2  b2  2ab  2(a 2  b2)  a 2  2ab  b2  (a  b)2
( a  b)
2
That is, a 2  b 2  .
2
2 2
Taking the square roots in both sides: a 2  b 2  ab  (a  b) (1)
2 2
2
b c  (b  c)
2 2
Similarly we get: (2)
2
2
c a  (c  a )
2 2
(3)
2
Adding (1), (2), and (3):
a  b  b  c  c  a  2 ( a  b  c)
2 2 2 2 2 2

Problem 22: Solution:

Method 1:
1 1 x y x y
(1  )(1  )  (1  )(1  )
x y x y
y x y x
 (2  )(2  )  5  2(  )
x y x y
 5 22  9

Method 2:
1
We know that x  y  1 xy 
.
4
 1  1  1 1 1 x y 1 2
1  1    1    1  1  1  8  9.
 x  y x y xy xy xy xy
 1  1 
 1  1    9.
 x  y

Problem 23: Solution:

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

ab abc 3
2(  ab )  3(  abc )
  2 ab  c  3 abc
3
2 3
 c  2 ab  3 abc .
3

We know that c  ab  ab  3 c ab ab  3 abc is true. Therefore, the original

3 3

inequality is true.

Problem 24: Solution:

a  b  c  3  ( a  b  c )  3 or： 2 ab  2 bc  2 ac  2
2

∵ 2 ab  a  b 2 bc  b  c 2 ac  a  c or
2 ab  2 bc  2 ac  (a  b)  (b  c)  (a  c)  2 .
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).
1 1 4
Thus a  c= x + y. The original inequality becomes:   
x y x y
1 1 x y
( x  y )(  )  4  2    4 .
x y y x
x y
We know that   2 . Therefore the original inequality is true.
y x
Equality occurs when x = y.

Problem 26: Solution:

1 1 1
We assume that (1－a)b > ， (1－b)c > ，and（1－c)a > .
4 4 4
Since a is less than 1, 1－a＞0.
(1  a)  b 1 1
 (1  a)b    1－a + b > 1 (1)
2 4 2
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 (1－a)b, (1－b)c, and (1－c)a greater than 1/4.

248