1. (Folklore) Let n  2 and xi > 0, i = 1, 2, …, n.

Put
1 1 1 1
f  max{ x1 ,  x 2 ,  x3 ,...,  xn , }
x1 x2 x n 1 xn
Find min(f).

2. (Kvant?) Let a1, a2, …, an be nonegative real numbers. Prove that

2
n
 n  n
(n  1) a  n n  a    ai  .
2
i
2
i
i 1 i 1  i 1 

3. (ONI) Let a, b, c > 0, a + b + c = 1. Prove that

(a2+b2)(b2+c2)(c2+a2)  8(a2b2+b2c2+c2a2)2

n n
4. (Singapore) Let ai, bi  [1001, 2002], i=1, 2, …, n and  ai2  bi2 . Prove that
i 1 i 1
n 3 n
a 17
b
i 1
i
 
10 i 1
ai2 .
i

5. (ONI) Let a, b, c, x, y, z > 0. Prove that

a
 b  c ( y  z)   ( ( x  y )( x  z )  x)

6. Let a1, a2, …, an be real numbers such that |ai|  1 for all i = 1, 2, …, n and a1 +
a2 + … +an = 0.
(a) Prove that there is a number k  {1, 2, …, n} such that
2k  1
| a1  2a 2  ...  ka k | .
4
(b) Prove that for n > 2, the constant in right hand side is the best.
7. (Putnam, Romania, Iran) Let x1, x2, …, xn be real numbers. Prove that
n n

 | xi  x j | n | xi | .
i , j 1 i 1

8. Let ai, bi > 0, i = 1, 2, …, n. Prove that

n n

n
ai bi  ai . bi
a  i 1 i 1

i  bi
n
i 1
 (a
i 1
i  bi )

9. Let a, b, c > 0, a + b + c = 3. Prove that

a b c 3
   .
bc 2
ca 2
ab 2
2
10. (Romania 2007) Let n  2 be positive integer, a1, …, an; b1, …, bn be real
numbers satisfying
n n n

 ai2  1,
i 1
 bi2  1,
i 1
a b
i 1
i i 0
2 2
 n
  n

Prove that   ai     bi   n.
 i 1   i 1 

11. (Erdos) A set A of positive integers has a propery: Its partial sums are all
1
distinct. Prove that  a  2.
a A

12. Let a, b, c > 0 which add up to 1. Prove that

a2  b2
 a  b  1   ( a  b) 2 .

13. Find the least real number k such that the inequality
xyz + 2 + k[(x-1)2+(y-1)2+(z-1)2]  x + y + z
holds for all postive reals x, y, z.

Later, I add some other problems

14. (Iran TST 2009) Let a, b, c be positive real numbers such that a + b + c = 3.
Prove that
1 1 1 3
   .
2a b
2 2
2b c
2 2
2c a
2 2
4

15. (Argentina TST 2009) Let a1, a2, …, a300 – nonnegative real numbers satisfying
300
the condition a i 1
i  1. Find maximal possible value of a a
i  j ,i | j
i j .

16. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers which add up to 1. Prove that

 c  a  b  1
 ab   bc   ca   .
 a  b  b  c  ca 4

Trần Nam Dũng