IMO 1991 · Problem 1

Given a triangle \(ABC\), let \(I\) be the center of its inscribed circle. The internal bisectors of the angles \(A,B,C\) meet the opposite sides in \(A',B',C'\) respectively. Prove that \[ \frac14<\frac{AI\cdot BI\cdot CI}{AA'\cdot BB'\cdot CC'}\leq\frac8{27}. \]

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Solution

Write \(a=BC\), \(b=CA\), \(c=AB\), and \(s=(a+b+c)/2\).

The angle-bisector theorem gives \[ BA'=\frac{ac}{b+c}. \] Since \(I\) lies on \(AA'\) and \(BI\) bisects \(\angle ABA'\), applying the same theorem in triangle \(ABA'\) yields \[ \frac{AI}{IA'}=\frac{AB}{BA'}=\frac{b+c}{a}. \] Consequently, \[ \frac{AI}{AA'}=\frac{b+c}{2s}. \] The analogous identities at \(B\) and \(C\) therefore give \[ R:=\frac{AI\cdot BI\cdot CI}{AA'\cdot BB'\cdot CC'} =\frac{(b+c)(c+a)(a+b)}{8s^3}. \]

For the upper bound, the three factors in the numerator have sum \(4s\). Thus, by the arithmetic–geometric mean inequality, \[ R\leq\frac{(4s/3)^3}{8s^3}=\frac8{27}. \] Equality holds precisely when \(b+c=c+a=a+b\), equivalently when \(ABC\) is equilateral.

For the lower bound, put \[ x=s-a,\qquad y=s-b,\qquad z=s-c. \] The strict triangle inequalities give \(x,y,z>0\), and \(x+y+z=s\). Moreover, \[ b+c=s+x,\qquad c+a=s+y,\qquad a+b=s+z. \] Hence \[ \begin{aligned} R &=\frac{(s+x)(s+y)(s+z)}{8s^3}\\ &=\frac{s^3+s^2(x+y+z)+s(xy+yz+zx)+xyz}{8s^3}\\ &=\frac14+\frac{xy+yz+zx}{8s^2}+\frac{xyz}{8s^3}\\ &>\frac14, \end{aligned} \] where strictness follows from \(x,y,z>0\). This proves both inequalities.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).