IMO 1995 · Problem 2

Let \(a,b,c\) be positive real numbers such that \(abc=1\). Prove that \[ \frac{1}{a^3(b+c)}+\frac{1}{b^3(c+a)}+\frac{1}{c^3(a+b)}\geq\frac32. \]

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

Solution

Put \(x=1/a\), \(y=1/b\), and \(z=1/c\). Then \(xyz=1\), and \[ \frac{1}{a^3(b+c)} =\frac{x^3}{1/y+1/z} =\frac{x^3yz}{y+z} =\frac{x^2}{y+z}. \] The other two terms transform similarly.

By the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality, \[ \left(\frac{x^2}{y+z}+\frac{y^2}{z+x}+\frac{z^2}{x+y}\right) \bigl((y+z)+(z+x)+(x+y)\bigr) \geq (x+y+z)^2. \] Since \(x+y+z>0\), this gives \[ \frac{x^2}{y+z}+\frac{y^2}{z+x}+\frac{z^2}{x+y} \geq \frac{x+y+z}{2}. \] Finally, the arithmetic–geometric mean inequality yields \[ x+y+z\geq 3\sqrt[3]{xyz}=3. \] Combining these inequalities proves the required bound. Equality holds if and only if \(x=y=z=1\), equivalently \(a=b=c=1\).

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