Olympiad problems

2020 IMO Shortlist, A3

Suppose that $a,b,c,d$ are positive real numbers satisfying $(a+c)(b+d)=ac+bd$. Find the smallest possible value of $$\frac{a}{b}+\frac{b}{c}+\frac{c}{d}+\frac{d}{a}.$$ [i]Israel[/i]

2015 Turkmenistan National Math Olympiad, 4

Tags: algebra , inequalities proposed , Inequality

Find the max and minimum without using dervivate: $\sqrt{x} +4 \cdot \sqrt{\frac{1}{2} - x}$

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Prove that the inequality \[n \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j = 1}^n \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{3}{a_ja_k + a_ka_i + a_i a_j} \ge \left(\sum_{j=1}^n \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{2}{a_j + a_k}\right)^2 \] holds for any positive real numbers $a_1$, $a_2$, $\dots$, $a_n$. [i]Proposed by Li4 and Ming Hsiao.[/i]

2025 Taiwan Mathematics Olympiad, 2

Tags: Taiwan , algebra , Inequality

Let $a, b, c, d$ be four positive reals such that $abc+abd+acd+bcd = 1$. Determine all possible values for $$(ab + cd)(ac + bd)(ad + bc).$$ [i]Proposed by usjl and YaWNeeT[/i]

2014 IFYM, Sozopol, 4

Tags: algebra , Inequality , inequalities

Prove that for $\forall$ $x,y,z\in \mathbb{R}^+$ the following inequality is true: $\frac{x}{y+z}+\frac{25y}{z+x}+\frac{4z}{x+y}>2$.

2015 China Girls Math Olympiad, 7

Tags: Inequality , algebra , inequalities , China

Let $x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_n \in(0,1)$ , $n\geq2$. Prove that$$\frac{\sqrt{1-x_1}}{x_1}+\frac{\sqrt{1-x_2}}{x_2}+\cdots+\frac{\sqrt{1-x_n}}{x_n}<\frac{\sqrt{n-1}}{x_1 x_2 \cdots x_n}.$$

2017 Iran MO (3rd round), 3

Tags: algebra , Inequality , AM-GM , Iran , inequalities

Let $a,b$ and $c$ be positive real numbers. Prove that $$\sum_{cyc} \frac {a^3b}{(3a+2b)^3} \ge \sum_{cyc} \frac {a^2bc}{(2a+2b+c)^3} $$

1972 IMO Longlists, 11

Tags: Inequality , optimization , maximization , IMO Shortlist , IMO Shortlist 1972

The least number is $m$ and the greatest number is $M$ among $ a_1 ,a_2 ,\ldots,a_n$ satisfying $ a_1 \plus{}a_2 \plus{}...\plus{}a_n \equal{}0$. Prove that \[ a_1^2 \plus{}\cdots \plus{}a_n^2 \le\minus{}nmM\]

2021 Science ON grade VIII, 4

Tags: Inequality , inequalities , algebra

Consider positive real numbers $x,y,z$. Prove the inequality $$\frac 1x+\frac 1y+\frac 1z+\frac{9}{x+y+z}\ge 3\left (\left (\frac{1}{2x+y}+\frac{1}{x+2y}\right )+\left (\frac{1}{2y+z}+\frac{1}{y+2z}\right )+\left (\frac{1}{2z+x}+\frac{1}{x+2z}\right )\right ).$$ [i] (Vlad Robu \& Sergiu Novac)[/i]

1994 Korea National Olympiad, Problem 2

Tags: Trigonometric inequality , trigonometry , Inequality , geometry , algebra , inequalities

Let $ \alpha,\beta,\gamma$ be the angles of a triangle. Prove that $csc^2\frac{\alpha}{2}+csc^2\frac{\beta}{2}+csc^2\frac{\gamma}{2} \ge 12$ and find the conditions for equality.

1985 IMO, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , binomial coefficients , combinatorial inequality , Inequality , IMO , IMO 1985

For any polynomial $P(x)=a_0+a_1x+\ldots+a_kx^k$ with integer coefficients, the number of odd coefficients is denoted by $o(P)$. For $i-0,1,2,\ldots$ let $Q_i(x)=(1+x)^i$. Prove that if $i_1,i_2,\ldots,i_n$ are integers satisfying $0\le i_1<i_2<\ldots<i_n$, then: \[ o(Q_{i_1}+Q_{i_2}+\ldots+Q_{i_n})\ge o(Q_{i_1}). \]

2025 239 Open Mathematical Olympiad, 7

Tags: geometry , Inequality

Point $M$ is the midpoint of side $BC$ of an acute—angled triangle $ABC$. The point $U$ is symmetric to the orthocenter $ABC$ relative to its circumcenter. The point $S$ inside triangle $ABC$ is such that $US = UM$. Prove that $SA + SB + SC + AM < AB + BC + CA$.

2014 Balkan MO Shortlist, A2

Tags: algebra , Inequality , BMO , BMO Shortlist

Let $x,y$ and $z$ be positive real numbers such that $xy+yz+xz=3xyz$. Prove that \[ x^2y+y^2z+z^2x \ge 2(x+y+z)-3 \] and determine when equality holds. [i]UK - David Monk[/i]

2004 Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: Inequality , positive real , algebra , inequalities

Let $a$, $b$ and $c$ be positive real numbers such that $abc=1$. Prove the inequality: $\frac{ab}{a^5+b^5+ab} +\frac{bc}{b^5+c^5+bc}+\frac{ac}{c^5+a^5+ac}\leq 1$

2022 Indonesia TST, A

Tags: Inequality , AM-GM , math , simple , algebra , inequalities

Let $a, b, c$ be positive real numbers such that $abc = 1$. Prove that $$(a + b + c)(ab + bc + ca) + 3\ge 4(a + b + c).$$

1969 IMO Shortlist, 66

Tags: algebra , polynomial , Inequality , Taylor series , IMO Shortlist , IMO Longlist

$(USS 3)$ $(a)$ Prove that if $0 \le a_0 \le a_1 \le a_2,$ then $(a_0 + a_1x - a_2x^2)^2 \le (a_0 + a_1 + a_2)^2\left(1 +\frac{1}{2}x+\frac{1}{3}x^2+\frac{1}{2}x^3+x^4\right)$ $(b)$ Formulate and prove the analogous result for polynomials of third degree.

1967 IMO Shortlist, 2

Tags: factorial , Inequality , IMO Shortlist , IMO Longlist

Prove that \[\frac{1}{3}n^2 + \frac{1}{2}n + \frac{1}{6} \geq (n!)^{\frac{2}{n}},\] and let $n \geq 1$ be an integer. Prove that this inequality is only possible in the case $n = 1.$

2020 Macedonia Additional BMO TST, 1

Tags: algebra , Inequality , inequalities , n-variable inequality

Let $a_1,a_2,...,a_{2020}$ be positive real numbers. Prove that: $$\max{(a^2_1-a_2,a^2_2-a_3,...,a^2_{2020}-a_1)}\ge\max{(a^2_1-a_1,a^2_2-a_2,...,a^2_{2020}-a_{2020})}$$

2000 Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: algebra , Inequality , inequalities

Prove that for all positive real $a$, $b$ and $c$ holds: $$ \frac{bc}{a^2+2bc}+\frac{ac}{b^2+2ac}+\frac{ab}{c^2+2ab} \leq 1 \leq \frac{a^2}{a^2+2bc}+\frac{b^2}{b^2+2ac}+\frac{c^2}{c^2+2ab}$$

2022 SEEMOUS, 3

Tags: linear algebra , Matrices , hermitian , Inequality

Let $\alpha \in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{0\}$ and $A \in \mathcal{M}_n(\mathbb{C})$, $A \neq O_n$, be such that $$A^2 + (A^*)^2 = \alpha A\cdot A^*,$$ where $A^* = (\bar A)^T.$ Prove that $\alpha \in \mathbb{R}$, $|\alpha| \le 2$. and $A\cdot A^* = A^*\cdot A.$