Chapter

Inequalities with Constraints

The module teaches using fixed sum, fixed product, and pairwise sum to find maxima, minima, and equality cases.
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Theory

Key idea

A constraint in an inequality usually tells us where to look for the extremum. With a fixed sum, expressions involving convex functions are often minimized at equal variables, while expressions involving concave functions are often maximized at equal variables. With a fixed product, AM-GM and the normalization \(abc=1\) are natural.

Basic facts

If \(a+b+c=S\), then \(\sum a^2\ge S^2/3\), \(ab+bc+ca\le S^2/3\), and \(abc\le(S/3)^3\). If \(abc=P\), then \(a+b+c\ge3\sqrt[3]{P}\) and \(ab+bc+ca\ge3\sqrt[3]{P^2}\). With fixed \(q=ab+bc+ca\), the relations \(p^2\ge3q\) and \(q^2\ge3pr\) are useful.

When to use this method

Use this approach when the condition fixes a sum, product, \(ab+bc+ca\), sum of squares, or average value. The problem often becomes an extremum problem for one symmetric quantity.

How to recognise the method

If equality is expected at \(a=b=c\), first try Jensen, AM-GM, Cauchy, or UVW. If variables are nonnegative and the sum is fixed, the maximum of some expressions may occur on the boundary: for example, \(\sum a^2\) is maximal at \(S,0,0\).

Typical mistakes

Do not confuse maximum and minimum: with a fixed sum, \(\sum a^2\) is minimized at equality but maximized on the boundary. Do not use \(abc=1\) if variables may be zero. Always check whether equality is attainable in the allowed domain.

Mini-checklist

1. What is fixed? 2. Are we looking for a maximum or a minimum? 3. Is equality at equal variables or on the boundary? 4. Is Jensen, AM-GM, Cauchy, or UVW needed? 5. Has the equality case been checked?

Examples

Example 1. Minimum of squares

With a fixed sum, the sum of squares is minimized at equality.

Problem. Let \(a+b+c=6\). Find the minimum of \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Solution.

By Cauchy, \((a+b+c)^2\le3(a^2+b^2+c^2)\). Hence \(36\le3\sum a^2\), so \(\sum a^2\ge12\). Equality holds at \(a=b=c=2\).

Example 2. Maximum product

With a fixed sum, the product of positive numbers is maximized at equality.

Problem. If \(a+b+c=9\), find the maximum of \(abc\).

Solution.

By AM-GM, \(\sqrt[3]{abc}\le\frac{a+b+c}{3}=3\). Therefore \(abc\le27\). Equality holds at \(a=b=c=3\).

Example 3. Fixed product

With a fixed product, the sum is minimized at equality.

Problem. If \(abc=8\), prove \(a+b+c\ge6\).

Solution.

By AM-GM, \(a+b+c\ge3\sqrt[3]{abc}=6\). Equality holds at \(a=b=c=2\).

Example 4. Fixed sum and \(q\)

The quantity \(q=ab+bc+ca\) is controlled by the sum.

Problem. If \(a+b+c=1\), prove \(ab+bc+ca\le1/3\).

Solution.

\((a+b+c)^2\ge3(ab+bc+ca)\). With \(a+b+c=1\), we get \(q\le1/3\). Equality holds at \(a=b=c=1/3\).

Example 5. Sum of roots

The concavity of the square root gives the maximum at equal variables.

Problem. Let \(x+y+z=12\), \(x,y,z\ge0\). Find the maximum of \(\sqrt{x}+\sqrt{y}+\sqrt{z}\).

Solution.

By Jensen for \(\sqrt{x}\), \(\frac{\sum\sqrt{x}}{3}\le\sqrt{\frac{x+y+z}{3}}=2\). The maximum is \(6\), attained at \(x=y=z=4\).

Example 6. Reciprocals

A fixed sum and convexity of \(1/x\) give the minimum of the sum of reciprocals.

Problem. If \(a+b+c=3\), prove \(\frac1a+\frac1b+\frac1c\ge3\).

Solution.

By Cauchy, \((1+1+1)^2\le(a+b+c)(1/a+1/b+1/c)\). Since the sum is \(3\), the reciprocal sum is at least \(3\).

Example 7. Maximum on the boundary

Not every fixed-sum extremum occurs at equal variables.

Problem. Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=5\). Find the maximum of \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Solution.

Since \(a^2\le5a\), \(b^2\le5b\), \(c^2\le5c\), we get \(\sum a^2\le5(a+b+c)=25\). Equality occurs at \(5,0,0\) and permutations.

Example 8. Two fixed quantities

If \(a+b+c\) and \(ab+bc+ca\) are known, the sum of squares is already determined.

Problem. If \(a+b+c=3\), \(ab+bc+ca=2\), find \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Solution.

\(a^2+b^2+c^2=(a+b+c)^2-2(ab+bc+ca)=9-4=5\).

Problems

Problems

#9.1
#9.1

Minimum of squares

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★☆☆☆

Let \(a+b+c=6\). Find the minimum value of \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P001
Difficulty: Level 2 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.2
#9.2

Maximum product

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★☆☆☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(a+b+c=9\). Find the maximum of \(abc\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P002
Difficulty: Level 2 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.3
#9.3

Minimum sum

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★☆☆☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(abc=8\). Prove \(a+b+c\ge6\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P003
Difficulty: Level 2 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.4
#9.4

Maximum pairwise sum

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★☆☆☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=1\). Prove \(ab+bc+ca\le\frac13\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P004
Difficulty: Level 2 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.5
#9.5

Sum of reciprocals

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★☆☆☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(a+b+c=5\). Prove \[\frac1a+\frac1b+\frac1c\ge\frac95.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P005
Difficulty: Level 2 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.6
#9.6

Minimum sum with fixed q

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★☆☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(ab+bc+ca=12\). Prove \(a+b+c\ge6\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P006
Difficulty: Level 3 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.7
#9.7

Maximum sum of roots

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★☆☆

Let \(x,y,z\ge0\), \(x+y+z=12\). Find the maximum of \(\sqrt{x}+\sqrt{y}+\sqrt{z}\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P007
Difficulty: Level 3 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.8
#9.8

Shifted product

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★☆☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[(1+a)(1+b)(1+c)\le8.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P008
Difficulty: Level 3 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.9
#9.9

Cubic sum

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★☆☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=S\). Prove \[a^3+b^3+c^3\ge\frac{S^3}{9}.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P009
Difficulty: Level 3 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.10
#9.10

Maximum squares on the boundary

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★☆☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Find the maximum of \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P010
Difficulty: Level 3 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.11
#9.11

Pairwise sum with fixed product

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(abc=1\). Prove \[ab+bc+ca\ge3.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P011
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.12
#9.12

Shifted product with abc

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(abc=1\). Prove \[(1+a)(1+b)(1+c)\ge8.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P012
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.13
#9.13

The fraction x/(1+x)

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\frac{a}{1+a}+\frac{b}{1+b}+\frac{c}{1+c}\le\frac32.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P013
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.14
#9.14

Shifted reciprocal

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★☆

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\frac1{1+a}+\frac1{1+b}+\frac1{1+c}\ge\frac32.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P014
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.15
#9.15

Two fixed sums

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★☆

Let \(a+b+c=3\) and \(ab+bc+ca=2\). Find \(a^2+b^2+c^2\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P015
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.16
#9.16

Product of pairwise sums

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[(a+b)(b+c)(c+a)\le8.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P016
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.17
#9.17

Product with fixed q

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(ab+bc+ca=3\). Prove \(abc\le1\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P017
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.18
#9.18

Squares with fixed product

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(abc=1\). Prove \(a^2+b^2+c^2\ge3\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P018
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.19
#9.19

Fractions with a constraint

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\frac{a^2}{1+a}+\frac{b^2}{1+b}+\frac{c^2}{1+c}\ge\frac32.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P019
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10
#9.20
#9.20

Estimate through deviations

Constraints Grade 9 Grade 10 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[a^2+b^2+c^2+ab+bc+ca\ge6abc.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M09-P020
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 9, Grade 10

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