Problem Solving with Arithmetic Mean - Geometric

Mean Inequality

Roy Roque Rivera Jr.

Problem 1: Show that if a, b, c > 0, then (a + b)(b + c)(c + a) ≥ 8abc

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have
a+b √ √
≥ ab ⇐⇒ a + b ≥ 2 ab
2
b+c √ √
≥ bc ⇐⇒ b + c ≥ 2 bc
2
c+a √ √
≥ ca ⇐⇒ c + a ≥ 2 ca
2
Hence, √ √ √
(a + b)(b + c)(c + a) ≥ (2 ab)(2 bc)(2 ca)
or simply
(a + b)(b + c)(c + a) ≥ 8abc

x+y 2
Problem 2 (AM - HM Inequality): Show that if x, y > 0, then ≥ 1 1
2 x + y

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have

1 1
+
r
x y 1 1
≥ ·
2 x y
which can be written as
2 √
1 1 ≤ xy
x + y

But from AM - GM Inequality, we know that that geometric mean is less than or equal to the arithmetic
mean; hence, we obtain
x+y 2
≥ 1 1
2 x + y

Comment: In general, for positive real numbers a1 , a2 , · · · , an , the following inequality holds
a1 + a2 + · · · + an √ n
≥ n a1 a2 · · · an ≥ 1 1
n a1 + a2 + · · · a1n

 
1 1 1 9
Problem 3: Show that if a, b, c > 0, then (a + b + c) + + ≥
a+b b+c c+a 2

1
Solution 1: By AM - GM Inequality, we have
r
1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + ≥33 · ·
a+b b+c c+a a+b b+c c+a
p
(a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a) ≥ 3 3 (a + b)(b + c)(c + a)

Hence,
  r
1 1 1 1 1 1 p
((a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a)) + + ≥33 · · · 3 3 (a + b)(b + c)(c + a)
a+b b+c c+a a+b b+c c+a
Simplifying gives  
1 1 1
2(a + b + c) + + ≥9
a+b b+c c+a
Thus,  
1 1 1 9
(a + b + c) + + ≥
a+b b+c c+a 2

Solution 2: By AM - HM Inequality, we know that

(a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a) 3
≥ 1 1 1
3 a+b + b+c + c+a

Which can be easily written into

 
1 1 1 9
(a + b + c) + + ≥
a+b b+c c+a 2

Problem 4: Show that if x, y, z > 0, then x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≥ xy + xz + yz

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have

x2 + y 2 ≥ 2xy (?)

y 2 + z 2 ≥ 2yz (2?)
2 2
z + x ≥ 2zx (3?)
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
2(x2 + y 2 + z 2 ) ≥ 2(xy + xz + yz)
Hence,
x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≥ xy + xz + yz

Solution 2: By AM - HM Inequality, we know that

(a + b) + (b + c) + (c + a) 3
≥ 1 1 1
3 a+b + b+c + c+a

Which can be easily written into

 
1 1 1 9
(a + b + c) + + ≥
a+b b+c c+a 2

2
 √ √ √
Problem 5: Show that if x, y, z > 0, then xy + yz + zx ≥ y xz + z xy + x zy
Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have
√
xy + yz ≥ 2y xz (?)
√
yz + zx ≥ 2z xy (2?)
√
zx + xy ≥ 2x zy (3?)
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
√ √ √
2(xy + yz + zx) ≥ 2(y xz + z xy + x zy)

Hence, √ √ √
xy + yz + zx ≥ y xz + z xy + 2x zy

Problem 6: Show that if x, y, z > 0, then x2 + y 2 + 1 ≥ xy + x + y

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have

x2 + y 2 ≥ 2xy (?)

x2 + 1 ≥ 2x (2?)
2
1 + y ≥ 2y (3?)
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
2(x2 + y 2 + 1) ≥ 2(xy + x + y)
Hence,
x2 + y 2 + 1 ≥ xy + x + y

1 1 1 1 1 1
Problem 7: Show that if x, y, z > 0, then + + ≥√ +√ +√
x y z xy yz zx
Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have
r
1 1 1
+ ≥2 (?)
x y xy
r
1 1 1
+ ≥2 (2?)
y z yz
r
1 1 1
+ ≥2 (3?)
z x zx
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
   
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 + + ≥2 √ +√ +√
x y z xy yz zx

Hence,
1 1 1 1 1 1
+ + ≥√ +√ +√
x y z xy yz zx

xy xz yz
Problem 8: Show that if x, y, z > 0, then + + ≥x+y+z
z y x

3
Solution: By AM - GM Inequality, we have
xy xz
+ ≥ 2x (?)
z y
xy yz
+ ≥ 2y (2?)
z x
xz yz
+ ≥ 2z (3?)
y x
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us  
xy xz yz
2 + + ≥ 2 (x + y + z)
z y x
Thus,
xy xz yz
+ + ≥x+y+z
z y x
1 1
Problem 9 (Putnam 1965): Let Hn = 1 + 2 + ··· + n for some positive integer n ≥ 1. Prove that
1
Hn + n ≥ n(n + 1) n

Solution: Observe that

   
1 1 1 1
1 + + · · · + + n = (1 + 1) + 1 + + ··· + 1 +
2 n 2 n
Hence, by AM - GM Inequality, we have
    s    
1 1 n 1 1
(1 + 1) + 1 + + ··· + 1 + ≥ n (1 + 1) 1 + ··· 1 +
2 n 2 n
s     
3 4 n+1
= n n (2) ···
2 3 n
√
n
= n n+1

or simply
1
Hn + n ≥ n(n + 1) n

Problem 10: Show that if x, y, z > 0, and xyz = 1 then

x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ x4 + y 4 + z 4

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality,
p
x5 + x5 + x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ 5 5 x15 y 5 z 5 (?)
p
y 5 + y 5 + y 5 + x5 + z 5 ≥ 5 5 y 15 x5 z 5 (2?)
p
z 5 + z 5 + z 5 + y 5 + x5 ≥ 5 5 z 15 y 5 x5 (3?)
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
p p p
5(x5 + y 5 + z 5 ) ≥ 5( 5 x15 y 5 z 5 + 5 y 15 x5 z 5 5 z 15 y 5 x5 )

4
or
x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ xyz x4 + y 4 + z 4

But xyz = 1; hence,

x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ x4 + y 4 + z 4

Problem 11: Show that if x, y, z > 0, and xyz = 1 then

x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ x4 + y 4 + z 4

Solution: By AM - GM Inequality,
p
x5 + x5 + x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ 5 5 x15 y 5 z 5 (?)
p
y 5 + y 5 + y 5 + x5 + z 5 ≥ 5 5 y 15 x5 z 5 (2?)
p
z 5 + z 5 + z 5 + y 5 + x5 ≥ 5 5 z 15 y 5 x5 (3?)
Adding (?), (2?), (3?) gives us
p p p
5(x5 + y 5 + z 5 ) ≥ 5( 5 x15 y 5 z 5 + 5 y 15 x5 z 5 5 z 15 y 5 x5 )

or
x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ xyz x4 + y 4 + z 4

But xyz = 1; hence,

x5 + y 5 + z 5 ≥ x4 + y 4 + z 4