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A cyclic inequality
JK1603JK   1
N 10 minutes ago by jokehim
Source: unknown
Let a,b,c be real numbers. Prove that a^6+b^6+c^6\ge 2(a+b+c)(ab+bc+ca)(a-b)(b-c)(c-a).
1 reply
JK1603JK
2 hours ago
jokehim
10 minutes ago
2 var inquality
sqing   3
N 12 minutes ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b>0 $ and $ 3a+4b=a^3b^2. $ Prove that
$$2a+b+\dfrac{2}{a}+\dfrac{3}{b}\geq \frac{11}{\sqrt2}$$$$a+\dfrac{2}{a}+\dfrac{3}{b}\geq 4\sqrt[4]{\frac23}$$$$\dfrac{2}{a}+\dfrac{3}{b}\geq 2\sqrt[4]3$$$$3a+\dfrac{2}{a}+\dfrac{3}{b}\geq  \sqrt[4]{354+66\sqrt{33}}$$
3 replies
sqing
Mar 4, 2025
sqing
12 minutes ago
funny title placeholder
pikapika007   52
N 2 hours ago by v_Enhance
Source: USAJMO 2025/6
Let $S$ be a set of integers with the following properties:
[list]
[*] $\{ 1, 2, \dots, 2025 \} \subseteq S$.
[*] If $a, b \in S$ and $\gcd(a, b) = 1$, then $ab \in S$.
[*] If for some $s \in S$, $s + 1$ is composite, then all positive divisors of $s + 1$ are in $S$.
[/list]
Prove that $S$ contains all positive integers.
52 replies
pikapika007
Friday at 12:10 PM
v_Enhance
2 hours ago
Tennessee Math Tournament (TMT) Online 2025
TennesseeMathTournament   39
N 2 hours ago by TennesseeMathTournament
Hello everyone! We are excited to announce a new competition, the Tennessee Math Tournament, created by the Tennessee Math Coalition! Anyone can participate in the virtual competition for free.

The testing window is from March 22nd to April 5th, 2025. Virtual competitors may participate in the competition at any time during that window.

The virtual competition consists of three rounds: Individual, Bullet, and Team. The Individual Round is 60 minutes long and consists of 30 questions (AMC 10 level). The Bullet Round is 20 minutes long and consists of 80 questions (Mathcounts Chapter level). The Team Round is 30 minutes long and consists of 16 questions (AMC 12 level). Virtual competitors may compete in teams of four, or choose to not participate in the team round.

To register and see more information, click here!

If you have any questions, please email connect@tnmathcoalition.org or reply to this thread!

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Jane Street!

IMAGE
39 replies
TennesseeMathTournament
Mar 9, 2025
TennesseeMathTournament
2 hours ago
MATHCOUNTS halp
AndrewZhong2012   19
N 2 hours ago by orangebear
I know this post has been made before, but I personally can't find it. I qualified for mathcounts through wildcard in PA, and I can't figure out how to do those last handful of states sprint problems that seem to be one trick ponies(2024 P28 and P29 are examples) They seem very prevalent recently. Does anyone have advice on how to figure out problems like these in the moment?
19 replies
AndrewZhong2012
Mar 5, 2025
orangebear
2 hours ago
BOMBARDIRO CROCODILO VS TRALALERO TRALALA
LostDreams   57
N 3 hours ago by mathprodigy2011
Source: USAJMO 2025/4
Let $n$ be a positive integer, and let $a_0,\,a_1,\dots,\,a_n$ be nonnegative integers such that $a_0\ge a_1\ge \dots\ge a_n.$ Prove that
\[
\sum_{i=0}^n i\binom{a_i}{2}\le\frac{1}{2}\binom{a_0+a_1+\dots+a_n}{2}.
\]Note: $\binom{k}{2}=\frac{k(k-1)}{2}$ for all nonnegative integers $k$.
57 replies
LostDreams
Friday at 12:11 PM
mathprodigy2011
3 hours ago
2025 Math and AI 4 Girls Competition: Win Up To $1,000!!!
audio-on   11
N 4 hours ago by ev2028
Join the 2025 Math and AI 4 Girls Competition for a chance to win up to $1,000!

Hey Everyone, I'm pleased to announce the dates for the 2025 MA4G Competition are set!
Applications will open on March 22nd, 2025, and they will close on April 26th, 2025 (@ 11:59pm PST).

Applicants will have one month to fill out an application with prizes for the top 50 contestants & cash prizes for the top 20 contestants (including $1,000 for the winner!). More details below!

Eligibility:
The competition is free to enter, and open to middle school female students living in the US (5th-8th grade).
Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude, activities and aspirations in STEM.

Event dates:
Applications will open on March 22nd, 2025, and they will close on April 26th, 2025 (by 11:59pm PST)
Winners will be announced on June 28, 2025 during an online award ceremony.

Application requirements:
Complete a 12 question problem set on math and computer science/AI related topics
Write 2 short essays

Prizes:
1st place: $1,000 Cash prize
2nd place: $500 Cash prize
3rd place: $300 Cash prize
4th-10th: $100 Cash prize each
11th-20th: $50 Cash prize each
Top 50 contestants: Over $50 worth of gadgets and stationary


Many thanks to our current and past sponsors and partners: Hudson River Trading, MATHCOUNTS, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Automation Anywhere, JP Morgan Chase, D.E. Shaw, and AI4ALL.

Math and AI 4 Girls is a nonprofit organization aiming to encourage young girls to develop an interest in math and AI by taking part in STEM competitions and activities at an early age. The organization will be hosting an inaugural Math and AI 4 Girls competition to identify talent and encourage long-term planning of academic and career goals in STEM.

Contact:
mathandAI4girls@yahoo.com

For more information on the competition:
https://www.mathandai4girls.org/math-and-ai-4-girls-competition

More information on how to register will be posted on the website. If you have any questions, please ask here!


11 replies
audio-on
Jan 26, 2025
ev2028
4 hours ago
2025 USA(J)MO Cutoff Predictions
KevinChen_Yay   100
N 4 hours ago by imagien_bad
What do y'all think JMO winner and MOP cuts will be?

(Also, to satisfy the USAMO takers; what about the bronze, silver, gold, green mop, blue mop, black mop?)
100 replies
KevinChen_Yay
Friday at 12:33 PM
imagien_bad
4 hours ago
usamOOK geometry
KevinYang2.71   72
N 5 hours ago by ehuseyinyigit
Source: USAMO 2025/4, USAJMO 2025/5
Let $H$ be the orthocenter of acute triangle $ABC$, let $F$ be the foot of the altitude from $C$ to $AB$, and let $P$ be the reflection of $H$ across $BC$. Suppose that the circumcircle of triangle $AFP$ intersects line $BC$ at two distinct points $X$ and $Y$. Prove that $C$ is the midpoint of $XY$.
72 replies
1 viewing
KevinYang2.71
Friday at 12:00 PM
ehuseyinyigit
5 hours ago
TOTAL PATHS
deetimodi   7
N 5 hours ago by aidan0626
Can anyone pls tell me how to do this problem?
7 replies
deetimodi
Yesterday at 8:34 PM
aidan0626
5 hours ago
[CONCLUDED] VENAMC 10+2
ethan2011   126
N 5 hours ago by Math-lover1
Well, AMC's are in 4 months. Would you like to prepare with a mock test written and tested by JMO and Mathcounts National Countdown Round Qualifiers? Well, take the VENAMC 10+2!
If you're wondering, VENAMC 10+2: Very Exciting New American Mathematics Competition written by the VEN comittee: Problem Writers and Test Solvers/Testers(you may see them on the leaderboard). We had the 10+2 because while the difficulty is probably harder than AMC 12, there is no precalculus.
Leaderboard(52)
Errata
The test has been released! You can still sign up if you want. If you would like to take it, please sign up: Signups(0)
To submit your answers, send a PM to ethan2011 with
1. Your answers
2. If you would like to stay anonymous on leaderboard, or if you'd like your name to be shown
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult the test was(1 being easiest and 10 being hardest)
4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how high quality the test was(1 being terrible and 10 being great)
5. If you would recommend this to a friend(if you would, then please do!)
6. What your favorite problem was
7. What your least favorite problem was
8. Guess which problem Vincent wrote(if you do, you may get extra credit, but I doubt anyone will).
People who have guessed correctly which problem Vincent wrote
The test is below.
The private discussion forum has been created! It will only be given access to those that have submitted the test, or those who do not have the time to discuss the test and want to discuss some problems(if you are of the second type, then you must ask me for permission of course). You can discuss the problems there. The link to it is here: VENAMC Discussion Forum
Projected Cutoffs
The contest has concluded! You can still submit, and I may respond to it, but you just won't be shown on the leaderboard. If you want access to the private discussion forum, please PM me.
126 replies
ethan2011
Jul 10, 2024
Math-lover1
5 hours ago
Day Before Tips
elasticwealth   75
N Yesterday at 7:40 PM by hashbrown2009
Hi Everyone,

USA(J)MO is tomorrow. I am a Junior, so this is my last chance. I made USAMO by ZERO points but I've actually been studying oly seriously since JMO last year. I am more stressed than I was before AMC/AIME because I feel Olympiad is more unpredictable and harder to prepare for. I am fairly confident in my ability to solve 1/4 but whether I can solve the rest really leans on the topic distribution.

Anyway, I'm just super stressed and not sure what to do. All tips are welcome!

Thanks everyone! Good luck tomorrow!
75 replies
elasticwealth
Mar 19, 2025
hashbrown2009
Yesterday at 7:40 PM
IMO ShortList 2001, algebra problem 6
orl   137
N Friday at 9:08 PM by Levieee
Source: IMO ShortList 2001, algebra problem 6
Prove that for all positive real numbers $a,b,c$, \[ \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} + \frac{b}{\sqrt{b^2 + 8ca}} + \frac{c}{\sqrt{c^2 + 8ab}} \geq 1.  \]
137 replies
orl
Sep 30, 2004
Levieee
Friday at 9:08 PM
IMO ShortList 2001, algebra problem 6
G H J
Source: IMO ShortList 2001, algebra problem 6
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gracemoon124
872 posts
#131
Y by
We have the following by Holder's:
\[\left(\sum_{cyc}\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2+8bc}}\right)^2\left(\sum_{cyc}a(a^2+8bc)\right)\ge (a+b+c)^3\]so it suffices to prove
\[(a+b+c)^3\ge \sum_{cyc}a(a^2+8bc)\]equivalently
\[a^2b+ab^2+bc^2+b^2c+c^2a+ca^2\ge 6abc\]which is true by direct AM-GM. $\square$
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Bryan0224
53 posts
#133
Y by
ehuseyinyigit wrote:
Generalization 1
Let $a,b,c,p,\lambda$ be positive reals. Then prove that


$$\dfrac{a^p}{\sqrt{a^{2p}+\lambda bc}}+\dfrac{b^p}{\sqrt{b^{2p}+\lambda ca}}+\dfrac{c^p}{\sqrt{c^{2p}+\lambda ab}}\geq \dfrac{\lambda ^2}{4\left(3\sqrt[3]{\lambda ^2}+4\right)}$$

Tangent line or holder
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eg4334
614 posts
#134
Y by
??
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by eg4334, Sep 4, 2024, 5:41 PM
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ehuseyinyigit
784 posts
#135
Y by
Bryan0224 wrote:
Tangent line or holder
Yes, it has a proof by Holder's Inequality.
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ehuseyinyigit
784 posts
#136
Y by
Generalization 2
For any $a,b,c,\lambda$ ($\lambda \geq 8$) positive reals, the inequality

$$\dfrac{a}{\sqrt{a^{2}+\lambda bc}}+\dfrac{b}{\sqrt{b^{2}+\lambda ca}}+\dfrac{c}{\sqrt{c^{2}+\lambda ab}}\geq 1-\dfrac{\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda ^2}-4\right)\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda^2}+2\right)^2}{6\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\left(\lambda +2\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\right)+8}$$
holds.
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anhduy98
1080 posts
#137
Y by
ehuseyinyigit wrote:
Generalization 2
For any $a,b,c,\lambda$ ($\lambda \geq 8$) positive reals, the inequality

$$\dfrac{a}{\sqrt{a^{2}+\lambda bc}}+\dfrac{b}{\sqrt{b^{2}+\lambda ca}}+\dfrac{c}{\sqrt{c^{2}+\lambda ab}}\geq 1-\dfrac{\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda ^2}-4\right)\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda^2}+2\right)^2}{6\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\left(\lambda +2\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\right)+8}$$
holds.

Because :$$\frac{3}{\sqrt{1+\lambda}}\ge1-\dfrac{\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda ^2}-4\right)\left(\sqrt[3]{\lambda^2}+2\right)^2}{6\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\left(\lambda +2\sqrt[3]{\lambda}\right)+8},\left(\lambda \geq 8\right).$$

.
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ehuseyinyigit
784 posts
#138 • 1 Y
Y by MinhDangVN
Nice! Here was the $n$-var extension (GENERALIZATION 3) :
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by ehuseyinyigit, Jan 6, 2025, 12:24 PM
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Aiden-1089
277 posts
#139
Y by
By Holder,
$$\left( \sum_{cyc} \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} \right)^2 \left( \sum_{cyc} a(a^2+8bc) \right) \geq (a+b+c)^3$$so it suffices to show that $a^3+b^3+c^3+24abc \leq (a+b+c)^3$, or $\sum_{sym} a^2b \geq 6abc$, which is trivial by Muirhead.
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fasttrust_12-mn
118 posts
#140
Y by
huh....
$$\left( \sum_{cyc} \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} \right)^2 \left( \sum_{cyc} a(a^2+8bc) \right) \geq (a+b+c)^3$$Lemma:$(a+b+c)^3\geq a^3+b^3+c^3+24abc$
Proof:
$$(a+b+c)^3=a^3+b^3+c^3+3\left(\sum_{sym} a^2b\right) +6abc \ge24abc+a^3+b^3+c^3\ \iff \sum_{sym} a^2b\ge 6abc	$$which is true by AM-GM and we are done $\quad\square$
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by fasttrust_12-mn, Sep 20, 2024, 10:11 AM
Reason: typosus
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dimi07
2 posts
#144
Y by
My first ever problem to post in this platform! :D

Okay so we have to show that

\[
\sum_{\text{cyc}} \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} \geq 1.
\]
We can easily prove this by applying Hölder's inequality carefully. Let us choose \( p = 2 \) and \( q =1 \). Applying Hölder's gives us:

\[
\sum_{\text{cyc}} \left( \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} \right)^2 \cdot (a(a^2 + 8bc) \geq (a+b+c)^3.
\]
If we expand this, we get:

\[
\sum_{\text{cyc}} \frac{a^2}{a^2 + 8bc} \geq \frac{(a+b+c)^3}{\sum_{\text{cyc}} a(a^2 + 8bc)}.
\]
Thus, it suffices to show that

\[
\frac{(a+b+c)^3}{\sum_{\text{cyc}} a(a^2 + 8bc)} \geq 1,
\]
which is equivalent to proving

\[
(a+b+c)^3 \geq \sum_{\text{cyc}} a(a^2 + 8bc).
\]
Now, we compute

\[
\sum_{\text{cyc}} a(a^2 + 8bc) = \sum_{\text{cyc}} (a^3 + 8abc) = a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 24abc.
\]
So we need to show that

\[
(a+b+c)^3 \geq a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 24abc.
\]
Using the expansion, we have:

\[
(a+b+c)^3 = a^3 + b^3 + c^3 + 3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a).
\]
It suffices to prove that

\[
3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a) \geq 24abc.
\]
By the AM-GM inequality, we can derive:

\[
a^2b + a^2c + ab^2 + ac^2 + b^2c + bc^2 \geq 6abc.
\]
We can show this using AM-GM as follows:

1. For \( a^2b + b^2c + c^2a \):

\[
a^2b + b^2c + c^2a \geq 3 \sqrt[3]{(a^2b)(b^2c)(c^2a)} = 3abc.
\]
2. For \( ab^2 + bc^2 + ca^2 \):

\[
ab^2 + bc^2 + ca^2 \geq 3 \sqrt[3]{(ab^2)(bc^2)(ca^2)} = 3abc.
\]
Adding these inequalities gives:

\[
a^2b + a^2c + ab^2 + ac^2 + b^2c + bc^2 \geq 6abc.
\]
Thus, we conclude that

\[
\sum_{\text{cyc}} \frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} \geq 1,
\]
and the proof is complete.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by dimi07, Sep 23, 2024, 3:50 PM
Reason: Sorry p should be 1 since then the inequality cant be solved
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AshAuktober
934 posts
#145
Y by
Claim: $\sum_{cyc} a(a^2 + 8bc) \le (a+b+c)^3$.
Proof: Expand to get Muirhead's inequality. $\square$

Now, by Holder's inequality,
$$\left(\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} + \frac{b}{\sqrt{b^2 + 8ca}} + \frac{c}{\sqrt{c^2 + 8ab}}\right)^2 \left((a+b+c\right)^3)$$$$ \ge \left(\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}} + \frac{b}{\sqrt{b^2 + 8ca}} + \frac{c}{\sqrt{c^2 + 8ab}}\right)^2 \left(\sum_{cyc} a(a^2 + 8bc) \right)$$$$\ge \left(\sum_{cyc} {a}\right)^3,$$so we're done.
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little-fermat
147 posts
#146
Y by
I have discussed this problem as an application of Holder in my inequality tutorial playlist. Here is the video
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EaZ_Shadow
1110 posts
#147 • 1 Y
Y by WHO_LET_ME_COOK
It’s pretty simple. Just apply Cauchy schwarz then am gm kills the problem
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Maximilian113
506 posts
#148
Y by
By Holder's Inequality, $$\text{LHS}^2 \cdot \left( \sum_{cyc} a(a^2+8bc) \right) \geq (a+b+c)^3,$$so it suffices to show that $$a^3+b^3+c^3+24abc \leq (a+b+c)^3$$which is well-known. (for a complete proof though, note we can fully expand everything and it will reduce to Muirhead.) QED
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Levieee
159 posts
#149
Y by
there's a beautiful solution with AM GM idk why noone mentioned it
prove that:
$\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + 8bc}}$ $\geq$ $\frac{a^{4/3}}{a^{4/3}+b^{4/3}+c^{4/3}}$
$\text{u can prove this buy squaring the denominator in the term that i wrote and applying AM GM on it}$ :O
(sorry for the handwritten solution) :( :( :(
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