Chapter

Mock Olympiads: Inequalities

Five mock sets with four problems each: from standard estimates to strong problems using Schur, discriminants, and pairwise differences.
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Theory

Key idea

A mock set tests not one topic, but the ability to choose a method. One set may contain Cauchy, AM-GM, Holder, Schur, local estimates, discriminants, and identities for pairwise differences.

Basic facts

Before starting a set, recall five basic moves: a fraction with a manageable denominator sum often uses Cauchy; products and fixed products use AM-GM; cubes in numerators suggest Holder or a local estimate; symmetric powers suggest Schur; “for all \(x\)” conditions suggest the discriminant.

When to use this method

If a problem looks short, first look for a standard move. If the standard move gives a weak estimate, try a local replacement or normalization. If many variables have distance constraints, use the sum of squared pairwise differences.

How to recognise the method

Equality at \(a=b=c\) often points to a symmetric estimate. Equality at boundary values often requires a constraint or boundary analysis. If the expression is homogeneous, one quantity can often be normalized; if it is not homogeneous, first look for a fixed sum or product.

Typical mistakes

Do not start with the hardest problem in the set. Do not use an inequality without checking direction and domain. Do not leave a solution at “obvious by AM-GM”: an olympiad solution should show exactly which terms are being compared.

Mini-checklist

1. Find the easiest entry point. 2. Mark the likely equality case. 3. Check Cauchy for fractions. 4. Check AM-GM for products. 5. Recall Schur for symmetric powers. 6. After solving, check whether the estimate was strong enough.

Examples

Example 1. Quick entry point

Problem. Prove \(\sum\frac{a^2}{ab+ac+bc}\ge1\).

Solution.

By Cauchy, \(\sum\frac{a^2}{ab+ac+bc}\ge\frac{(a+b+c)^2}{3(ab+bc+ca)}\ge1\).

Example 2. Local estimate

Problem. Prove \(\frac{x}{x^2+x+1}\le\frac13\).

Solution.

The inequality is equivalent to \(3x\le x^2+x+1\), that is, \((x-1)^2\ge0\).

Example 3. Holder

Problem. Prove \(\sum\frac{a^3}{b^2+bc+c^2}\ge\frac{a+b+c}{3}\).

Solution.

By Holder, the left side is at least \(\frac{(a+b+c)^3}{2\sum a^2+\sum ab}\), and the denominator is at most \(3(a+b+c)^2\).

Example 4. Schur

Problem. Prove \(\sum a^5+abc\sum a^2\ge\sum_{\mathrm{sym}}a^4b\).

Solution.

This is Schur: \(\sum a^3(a-b)(a-c)\ge0\). Expanding gives the required form.

Example 5. Discriminant

Problem. If \(Ax^2+Bx+C>0\) for all \(x\), prove \(B^2<4AC\).

Solution.

A quadratic with positive leading coefficient and a real root could not be positive everywhere. Hence the discriminant is negative.

Example 6. Pairwise differences

Problem. If \(y_1<\cdots

Solution.

Immediately, \(\sum_{i

Problems

Problems

#12.1
#12.1

Set 1. Sum of three fractions

Fractions Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★☆

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\frac{a^2}{ab+ac+bc}+\frac{b^2}{ab+ac+bc}+\frac{c^2}{ab+ac+bc}\ge1.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P001
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Fractions
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.2
#12.2

Set 1. Three identical traps

Fractions Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\frac{a}{a^2+a+1}+\frac{b}{b^2+b+1}+\frac{c}{c^2+c+1}\le1.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P002
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Fractions
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.3
#12.3

Set 1. Cube in the numerator

Cyclic Sums Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\frac{a^3}{a^2+ab+b^2}\ge\frac{a+b+c}{3}.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P003
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Cyclic Sums
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.4
#12.4

Set 1. Fifth-degree Schur

Power Sums Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c\ge0\): \[\sum a^5+abc(a^2+b^2+c^2)\ge\sum_{\mathrm{sym}}a^4b.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P004
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Power Sums
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.5
#12.5

Set 2. Pairwise sum

AM-GM Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★☆

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

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P005
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: AM-GM
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.6
#12.6

Set 2. Denominators with squares

Fractions Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\frac{a^2}{b^2+c^2+a(b+c)}\ge\frac12.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P006
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Fractions
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.7
#12.7

Set 2. Roots of pairs

Radicals Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\sqrt{a^2+ab+b^2}+\sqrt{b^2+bc+c^2}+\sqrt{c^2+ca+a^2}\ge3\sqrt{3}.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P007
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Radicals
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.8
#12.8

Set 2. Reversed quadratic

Discriminant Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(Ax^2+Bx+C>0\) for all real \(x\). Prove that \(Cx^2+Bx+A>0\) for all real \(x\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P008
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Discriminant
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.9
#12.9

Set 3. Division by a sum

Fractions Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★☆

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\frac{a^2}{b+c}+\frac{b^2}{c+a}+\frac{c^2}{a+b}\ge\frac{a+b+c}{2}.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P009
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: Fractions
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.10
#12.10

Set 3. Triangle substitution

Triangle Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\) be the sides of a triangle. Prove \[\frac{a}{b+c-a}+\frac{b}{c+a-b}+\frac{c}{a+b-c}\ge3.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P010
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Triangle
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.11
#12.11

Set 3. Holder in a cycle

Cyclic Sums Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\frac{a^3}{b^2+bc+c^2}\ge\frac{a+b+c}{3}.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P011
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Cyclic Sums
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.12
#12.12

Set 3. Five numbers

Constraints Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Five real numbers differ pairwise by at least \(d>0\), and their sum is \(0\). Prove that the sum of their squares is at least \(10d^2\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P012
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.13
#12.13

Set 4. Two AM-GM estimates

AM-GM Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★☆

Let \(a,b,c>0\), \(abc=1\). Prove \[a+b+c+ab+bc+ca\ge6.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P013
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: AM-GM
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.14
#12.14

Set 4. Two factors

Fractions Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c>0\): \[\sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\frac{a^2}{(a+b)(a+c)}\ge\frac34.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P014
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Fractions
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.15
#12.15

Set 4. Three reciprocal squares

Fixed Sum Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\frac1{1+a^2}+\frac1{1+b^2}+\frac1{1+c^2}\ge\frac32.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P015
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Fixed Sum
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.16
#12.16

Set 4. Telescoping root

Telescoping Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4>0\), \(x_5=x_1\). Prove \[\sum_{i=1}^4(x_{i+1}-x_i)\sqrt{x_i^2+3x_{i+1}^2}\ge0.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P016
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Telescoping
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.17
#12.17

Set 5. Fourth powers

AM-GM Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★☆

Prove for \(a,b,c\ge0\): \[a^4+b^4+c^4\ge abc(a+b+c).\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P017
Difficulty: Level 4 of 5
Tag: AM-GM
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.18
#12.18

Set 5. Squares versus cubes

Cauchy Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Prove for \(a,b,c\ge0\): \[(a^2+b^2+c^2)^3\ge(a^3+b^3+c^3)^2.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P018
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Cauchy
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.19
#12.19

Set 5. Shifted denominators

Constraints Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Let \(a,b,c\ge0\), \(a+b+c=3\). Prove \[\frac1{a+2}+\frac1{b+2}+\frac1{c+2}\ge1.\]

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P019
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11
#12.20
#12.20

Set 5. Six separated numbers

Constraints Grade 10 Grade 11 ★★★★★

Six real numbers differ pairwise by at least \(d>0\), and their sum is \(0\). Prove that the sum of their squares is at least \(\frac{35}{2}d^2\).

Details
Problem: ALG-B2-M12-P020
Difficulty: Level 5 of 5
Tag: Constraints
Grade: Grade 10, Grade 11

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