Oct 23, 2020 Thread starter Admin #1 anemone MHB POTW Director Staff member Feb 14, 2012 3,802 $a,\,b$ and $c$ are positive integers that satisfy the inequality $ab+3b+2c>a^2+b^2+c^2+3$. Evaluate $a+b+c$.
$a,\,b$ and $c$ are positive integers that satisfy the inequality $ab+3b+2c>a^2+b^2+c^2+3$. Evaluate $a+b+c$.
Oct 25, 2020 #2 kaliprasad Well-known member Mar 31, 2013 1,331 Spoiler We have $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 3 < ab + 3b +2c$ or $(a^2-ab) + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3 < 0$ or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 - \frac{b^2}{4} + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3< 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + (3 \frac{b^2}{4} - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) +3 < 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b^2}{4} - b + 1) + (c^2 - 2c) < 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c^2 - 2c+1) < 1$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c-1)^2 < 1$ For these to be true each of the terms has to be zero. (it can be seen that each of the terms which is squared if not zero has to be minimum $\frac{1}{4}$ giving sum 1 which is not true) So b = 2 a = 1 and c = 1 is the solution giving a+b+c = 4 Last edited by a moderator: Oct 25, 2020
Spoiler We have $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 3 < ab + 3b +2c$ or $(a^2-ab) + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3 < 0$ or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 - \frac{b^2}{4} + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3< 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + (3 \frac{b^2}{4} - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) +3 < 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b^2}{4} - b + 1) + (c^2 - 2c) < 0$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c^2 - 2c+1) < 1$ Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c-1)^2 < 1$ For these to be true each of the terms has to be zero. (it can be seen that each of the terms which is squared if not zero has to be minimum $\frac{1}{4}$ giving sum 1 which is not true) So b = 2 a = 1 and c = 1 is the solution giving a+b+c = 4