Practice 15

Solution: We use the identity

x3 + y3 = (x + y)3 − 3xy(x + y)
twice. Then
a3 + b3 + c3 − 3abc = (a + b)3 + c3 − 3ab(a + b) − 3abc
= (a + b + c)3 − 3(a + b)c(a + b + c) − 3ab(a + b + c)
= (a + b + c)((a + b + c)2 − 3ac − 3bc − 3ab)
= (a + b + c)(a2 + b2 + c2 − ab − bc − ca)

If a, b, c are non-negative then a + b + c ≥ 0 and also a2 + b2 + c2 − ab − bc − ca ≥ 0 by (2.13). This gives

a 3 + b 3 + c3
≥ abc.
3

Letting a3 = x, b3 = y, c3 = z, for non-negative real numbers x, y, z, we obtain the AM-GM Inequality for three quantities.

Practice

110 Problem If a3 − b3 = 24, a − b = 2, find (a + b)2 . x2 − xy + y2 = 21.

111 Problem Shew that for integer n ≥ 2, the expression 116 Problem Evaluate the sum

3 3 1 1
n + (n + 2)
√
3
√ √ +√ √ √
4 1+ 3 2+ 3 4 3
4+ 3 6+ 3 9
1
is a composite integer.
+√3
√ √ .
9 + 3 12 + 3 16

112 Problem If tan x + cot x = a, prove that tan3 x + cot3 x = a3 − 3a. 117 Problem Find a6 + a−6 given that a2 + a−2 = 4.

113 Problem (AIME 1986) What is the largest positive integer n for which 118 Problem Prove that

(n + 10)|(n3 + 100)?
(a + b + c)3 − a3 − b3 − c3 = 3(a + b)(b + c)(c + a) (2.17)

114 Problem Find all the primes of the form n3 + 1.

119 Problem (ITT 1994) Let a, b, c, d be complex numbers satisfying

115 Problem Solve the system a + b + c + d = a3 + b3 + c3 + d 3 = 0.

x3 + y3 = 126, Prove that a pair of the a, b, c, d must add up to 0.

2.4 Miscellaneous Algebraic Identities

We have seen the identity
y2 − x2 = (y − x)(y + x). (2.18)
We would like to deduce a general identity for yn − xn , where n is a positive integer. A few multiplications confirm that

y3 − x3 = (y − x)(y2 + yx + x2), (2.19)

y4 − x4 = (y − x)(y3 + y2 x + yx2 + x3 ), (2.20)

and
y5 − x5 = (y − x)(y4 + y3 x + y2 x2 + yx3 + x4 ). (2.21)
The general result is in fact the following theorem.