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Difference between revisions of "2013 USAJMO Problems/Problem 6"

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==Solution==
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==Problem 6==
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Without loss of generality, let <math>x \ge y \ge z</math>. Then <math>\sqrt{x + xyz} = \sqrt{x - 1} + \sqrt{y - 1} + \sqrt{z - 1}</math>.
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Find all real numbers <math>x,y,z\geq 1</math> satisfying <cmath>\min(\sqrt{x+xyz},\sqrt{y+xyz},\sqrt{z+xyz})=\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{y-1}+\sqrt{z-1}.</cmath>
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==Solution with Thought Process==
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Without loss of generality, let <math>1 \le x \le y \le z</math>. Then <math>\sqrt{x + xyz} = \sqrt{x - 1} + \sqrt{y - 1} + \sqrt{z - 1}</math>.
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Suppose x = y = z. Then <math>\sqrt{x + x^3} = 3\sqrt{x-1}</math>, so <math>x + x^3 = 9x - 9</math>. It is easily verified that <math>x^3 - 8x + 9 = 0</math> has no solution in positive numbers greater than 1. Thus, <math>\sqrt{x + xyz} \ge \sqrt{x - 1} + \sqrt{y - 1} + \sqrt{z - 1}</math> for x = y = z. We suspect if the inequality always holds.
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Let x = 1. Then we have <math>\sqrt{1 + yz} \ge \sqrt{y-1} + \sqrt{z-1}</math>, which simplifies to <cmath>1 + yz \ge y + z - 2 + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}</cmath> and hence <cmath>yz - y - z + 3 \ge 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}</cmath> Let us try a few examples: if y = z = 2, we have <math>3 > 2</math>; if y = z, we have <math>y^2 - 2y + 3 \ge 2(y-1)</math>, which reduces to <math>y^2 - 4y + 5 \ge 0</math>. The discriminant (16 - 20) is negative, so in fact the inequality is strict. Now notice that yz - y - z + 3 = (y-1)(z-1) + 2. Now we see we can let <math>u = \sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}</math>! Thus, <cmath>u^2 - 2u + 2 = (u-1)^2 + 1 > 0</cmath> and the claim holds for x = 1.
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If x > 1, we see the <math>\sqrt{x - 1}</math> will provide a huge obstacle when squaring. But, using the identity <math>(x+y+z)^2 = x^2 + y^2 + z^2 + xy + yz + xz</math>:
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<cmath>x + xyz \ge x - 1 + y - 1 + z - 1 + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)} + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)}</cmath>
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which leads to
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<cmath>xyz \ge y + z - 3 + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)} + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(z-1)}</cmath>
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Again, we experiment. If x = 2, y = 3, and z = 3, then <math>18 > 7 + 4\sqrt{6}</math>.
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Now, we see the finish: setting <math>u = \sqrt{x-1}</math> gives <math>x = u^2 + 1</math>. We can solve a quadratic in u! Because this problem is a #6, the crown jewel of USAJMO problems, we do not hesitate in computing the messy computations:
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<cmath>u^2(yz) - u(2\sqrt{y-1} + 2\sqrt{z-1}) + (3 + yz - y - z - 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}) \ge 0</cmath>
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Because the coefficient of <math>u^2</math> is positive, all we need to do is to verify that the discriminant is nonpositive:
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<cmath>b^2 - 4ac = 4(y-1) + 4(z-1) - 8\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} - yz(12 + 4yz - 4y - 4z - 8\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)})</cmath>
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Let us try a few examples. If y = z, then the discriminant D = <math>8(y-1) - 8(y-1) - yz(12 + 4y^2 - 8y - 8(y-1)) = -yz(4y^2 - 16y + 20) = -4yz(y^2 - 4y + 5) < 0</math>.
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We are almost done, but we need to find the correct argument. (How frustrating!)
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Success! The discriminant is negative. Thus, we can replace our claim with a strict one, and there are no real solutions to the original equation in the hypothesis.
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--Thinking Process by suli

Latest revision as of 19:02, 30 April 2014

Problem 6

Find all real numbers $x,y,z\geq 1$ satisfying \[\min(\sqrt{x+xyz},\sqrt{y+xyz},\sqrt{z+xyz})=\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{y-1}+\sqrt{z-1}.\]

Solution with Thought Process

Without loss of generality, let $1 \le x \le y \le z$. Then $\sqrt{x + xyz} = \sqrt{x - 1} + \sqrt{y - 1} + \sqrt{z - 1}$.

Suppose x = y = z. Then $\sqrt{x + x^3} = 3\sqrt{x-1}$, so $x + x^3 = 9x - 9$. It is easily verified that $x^3 - 8x + 9 = 0$ has no solution in positive numbers greater than 1. Thus, $\sqrt{x + xyz} \ge \sqrt{x - 1} + \sqrt{y - 1} + \sqrt{z - 1}$ for x = y = z. We suspect if the inequality always holds.

Let x = 1. Then we have $\sqrt{1 + yz} \ge \sqrt{y-1} + \sqrt{z-1}$, which simplifies to \[1 + yz \ge y + z - 2 + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}\] and hence \[yz - y - z + 3 \ge 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}\] Let us try a few examples: if y = z = 2, we have $3 > 2$; if y = z, we have $y^2 - 2y + 3 \ge 2(y-1)$, which reduces to $y^2 - 4y + 5 \ge 0$. The discriminant (16 - 20) is negative, so in fact the inequality is strict. Now notice that yz - y - z + 3 = (y-1)(z-1) + 2. Now we see we can let $u = \sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}$! Thus, \[u^2 - 2u + 2 = (u-1)^2 + 1 > 0\] and the claim holds for x = 1.

If x > 1, we see the $\sqrt{x - 1}$ will provide a huge obstacle when squaring. But, using the identity $(x+y+z)^2 = x^2 + y^2 + z^2 + xy + yz + xz$: \[x + xyz \ge x - 1 + y - 1 + z - 1 + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)} + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)}\] which leads to \[xyz \ge y + z - 3 + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(y-1)} + 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} + 2\sqrt{(x-1)(z-1)}\] Again, we experiment. If x = 2, y = 3, and z = 3, then $18 > 7 + 4\sqrt{6}$.

Now, we see the finish: setting $u = \sqrt{x-1}$ gives $x = u^2 + 1$. We can solve a quadratic in u! Because this problem is a #6, the crown jewel of USAJMO problems, we do not hesitate in computing the messy computations: \[u^2(yz) - u(2\sqrt{y-1} + 2\sqrt{z-1}) + (3 + yz - y - z - 2\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)}) \ge 0\]

Because the coefficient of $u^2$ is positive, all we need to do is to verify that the discriminant is nonpositive: \[b^2 - 4ac = 4(y-1) + 4(z-1) - 8\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)} - yz(12 + 4yz - 4y - 4z - 8\sqrt{(y-1)(z-1)})\]

Let us try a few examples. If y = z, then the discriminant D = $8(y-1) - 8(y-1) - yz(12 + 4y^2 - 8y - 8(y-1)) = -yz(4y^2 - 16y + 20) = -4yz(y^2 - 4y + 5) < 0$.

We are almost done, but we need to find the correct argument. (How frustrating!) Success! The discriminant is negative. Thus, we can replace our claim with a strict one, and there are no real solutions to the original equation in the hypothesis.

--Thinking Process by suli

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