Difference between revisions of "1983 USAMO Problems/Problem 2"

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Making such an inequality for all the variable pairs and summing them, we find the lemma is true.
 
Making such an inequality for all the variable pairs and summing them, we find the lemma is true.
  
Now, we start by plugging in our Vieta's: Let our roots be  
+
Now, we start by plugging in our Vieta's: Let our roots be <math>x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_5</math>. This means be Vieta's that <math>a=x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_5, b=x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5</math>
 
 
<math>x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_5</math>. This means be Vieta's that <math>a=x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_5, b=x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5</math>
 
  
 
If we show that for all real <math>x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5</math> that <math>2a^2\ge 5b</math>, then we have a contradiction and all of <math>x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5</math> cannot be real. We start by rewriting <math>2a^2\ge 5b</math> as
 
If we show that for all real <math>x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5</math> that <math>2a^2\ge 5b</math>, then we have a contradiction and all of <math>x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5</math> cannot be real. We start by rewriting <math>2a^2\ge 5b</math> as

Revision as of 19:16, 13 November 2011

1983 USAMO Problem 1

Prove that the zeros of

\[x^5+ax^4+bx^3+cx^2+dx+e=0\]

cannot all be real if $2a^2<5b$.


Solution

Lemma:

For all real numbers $x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_3$,

\[2(x_1^2+x_2^2+\cdots+x_5^2)\ge\]

\[x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5\]

We solve this cylicallly by showing

\[\frac{1}{2}x^2+\frac{1}{2}y^2\ge xy\]

By the trivial inequality, $(x-y)^2\ge 0$, or $x^2+y^2-2xy\ge 0$.

\[x^2+y^2\ge 2xy\]

Dividing by $2$ gives us the desired.

Making such an inequality for all the variable pairs and summing them, we find the lemma is true.

Now, we start by plugging in our Vieta's: Let our roots be $x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_5$. This means be Vieta's that $a=x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_5, b=x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5$

If we show that for all real $x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5$ that $2a^2\ge 5b$, then we have a contradiction and all of $x_1,x_2,\cdots, x_5$ cannot be real. We start by rewriting $2a^2\ge 5b$ as

\[2(x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_5)^2\ge 5(x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5)\]

We divide by $2$ and find

\[(x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_5)^2\ge \frac{5}{2}(x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5)\]

Expanding the LHS, we have

\[x_1^2+x_2^2+\cdots+x_5^2+2(x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5)\ge\frac{5}{2}(x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5)\]

Aha! We subtract out the second symmetric sums, and then multiply

by $2$ to find

\[2x_1^2+2x_2^2+\cdots+2x_5^2\ge x_1x_2+x_1x_3+\cdots+x_4x_5\]

which is true by our lemma.