A Modern Problem-Solving Booklet
Inequalities
Module
From structure to strategy: AM–GM, classical methods, and
contest-style reasoning
Shaurya Chauhan IOQM/RMO/INMO Club
Contents
1 AM–GM–HM Inequalities 1
1.1 The central idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
i
CHAPTER 1
AM–GM–HM Inequalities
1.1 The central idea
AM–GM–HM Inequality
For nonnegative real numbers a1 , a2 , . . . , an ,
a1 + a2 + · · · + an √ n
≥ n a1 a2 · · · an ≥ 1 1 1
n a1 + a2 + ...... + an
Equality holds exactly when
a1 = a2 = · · · = an .
The AM–GM–HM Inequality is a fundamental inequality taught in Olympiads. Based on this
Inequality many problems are forged. Some of them are as follows.
Example 1: Star Inequality
Proove that x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≥ xy + yz + zx∀x, y, z ∈ R
Example 2:
Given 0 ≤ a ≤ b ≤ 1. Prove that
a b
0≤ + ≤1
1+b 1+a
Example 3:
Suppose that x,y,z are positive real numbers such that x5 + y 5 + z 5 = 3. Prove that
x4 y 4 z4
+ + ≥3
y3 z 3 x3
1
Inequalities Module AM–GM Inequalities
Example 4: IMO 2006
Determine the Least M for which the inequality
| ab(a2 − b2 ) + bc(b2 − c2 ) + ac(c2 − a2 ) |≤ M (a2 + b2 + c2 )3
holds for all real a,b and c