Olympiad problems

2021 Germany Team Selection Test, 3

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]

2008 Switzerland - Final Round, 2

Tags: algebra , inequalities , functional inequality , functional

Determine all functions $f : R^+ \to R^+$, so that for all $x, y > 0$: $$f(xy) \le \frac{xf(y) + yf(x)}{2}$$

1994 Polish MO Finals, 2

Tags: inequalities , vector , parallelogram , triangle inequality , geometry

A parallelopiped has vertices $A_1, A_2, ... , A_8$ and center $O$. Show that: \[ 4 \sum_{i=1}^8 OA_i ^2 \leq \left(\sum_{i=1}^8 OA_i \right) ^2 \]

2015 Latvia Baltic Way TST, 1

Tags: algebra , inequalities

Given real numbers $x$ and $y$, such that $$x^4 y^2 + y^4 + 2 x^3 y + 6 x^2 y + x^2 + 8 \le 0 .$$ Prove that $x \ge - \frac16$

2013 ELMO Shortlist, 4

Tags: inequalities , algorithm , combinatorics

Let $n$ be a positive integer. The numbers $\{1, 2, ..., n^2\}$ are placed in an $n \times n$ grid, each exactly once. The grid is said to be [i]Muirhead-able[/i] if the sum of the entries in each column is the same, but for every $1 \le i,k \le n-1$, the sum of the first $k$ entries in column $i$ is at least the sum of the first $k$ entries in column $i+1$. For which $n$ can one construct a Muirhead-able array such that the entries in each column are decreasing? [i]Proposed by Evan Chen[/i]

2014 Baltic Way, 15

Tags: inequalities , triangle inequality , geometry

The sum of the angles $A$ and $C$ of a convex quadrilateral $ABCD$ is less than $180^{\circ} .$ Prove that \[AB \cdot CD + AD \cdot BC < AC(AB + AD).\]

2007 China Western Mathematical Olympiad, 3

Tags: inequalities , function , three variable inequality

Let $ a,b,c$ be real numbers such that $ a\plus{}b\plus{}c\equal{}3$. Prove that \[\frac{1}{5a^2\minus{}4a\plus{}11}\plus{}\frac{1}{5b^2\minus{}4b\plus{}11}\plus{}\frac{1}{5c^2\minus{}4c\plus{}11}\leq\frac{1}{4}\]

2014 Iran Team Selection Test, 5

Tags: function , n-variable inequality , inequalities

$n$ is a natural number. for every positive real numbers $x_{1},x_{2},...,x_{n+1}$ such that $x_{1}x_{2}...x_{n+1}=1$ prove that: $\sqrt[x_{1}]{n}+...+\sqrt[x_{n+1}]{n} \geq n^{\sqrt[n]{x_{1}}}+...+n^{\sqrt[n]{x_{n+1}}}$

2009 Sharygin Geometry Olympiad, 2

Tags: inequalities , convex quadrilateral , circumradius

Given a convex quadrilateral $ABCD$. Let $R_a, R_b, R_c$ and $R_d$ be the circumradii of triangles $DAB, ABC, BCD, CDA$. Prove that inequality $R_a < R_b < R_c < R_d$ is equivalent to $180^o - \angle CDB < \angle CAB < \angle CDB$ . (O.Musin)

2003 Gheorghe Vranceanu, 2

Tags: inequalities

Let be a natural number $ n $ and $ 2n $ positive real numbers $ v_1,v_2,\ldots ,v_{2n} $ such that the last $ n $ of them are greater than $ 1. $ Prove that: $$ \sum_{i=1}^n v_iv_{n+i}\le \max_{1\le k\le n}\left( \left( -1+\prod_{l=n}^{2n} v_l \right) v_k +\sum_{m=1}^n v_m \right) $$

2010 Iran MO (2nd Round), 4

Tags: polynomial , inequalities , algebra

Let $P(x)=ax^3+bx^2+cx+d$ be a polynomial with real coefficients such that \[\min\{d,b+d\}> \max\{|{c}|,|{a+c}|\}\] Prove that $P(x)$ do not have a real root in $[-1,1]$.

2014 Mexico National Olympiad, 5

Tags: holder , inequalities

Let $a, b, c$ be positive reals such that $a + b + c = 3$. Prove: \[ \frac{a^2}{a + \sqrt[3]{bc}} + \frac{b^2}{b + \sqrt[3]{ca}} + \frac{c^2}{c + \sqrt[3]{ab}} \geq \frac{3}{2} \] And determine when equality holds.

2014 Ukraine Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: inequalities

Let $x_1,x_2,\cdots,x_n$ be postive real numbers such that $x_1x_2\cdots x_n=1$ ,$S=x^3_1+x^3_2+\cdots+x^3_n$.Find the maximum of $\frac{x_1}{S-x^3_1+x^2_1}+\frac{x_2}{S-x^3_2+x^2_2}+\cdots+\frac{x_n}{S-x^3_n+x^2_n}$

1987 Federal Competition For Advanced Students, P2, 3

Tags: inequalities

Let $ x_1,...,x_n$ be positive real numbers. Prove that: $ \displaystyle\sum_{k\equal{}1}^{n}x_k\plus{}\sqrt{\displaystyle\sum_{k\equal{}1}^{n}x_k^2} \le \frac{n\plus{}\sqrt{n}}{n^2} \left( \displaystyle\sum_{k\equal{}1}^{n} \frac{1}{x_k} \right) \left( \displaystyle\sum_{k\equal{}1}^{n} x_k^2 \right).$

2007 Hungary-Israel Binational, 1

Tags: probability , inequalities , function , combinatorics

You have to organize a fair procedure to randomly select someone from $ n$ people so that every one of them would be chosen with the probability $ \frac{1}{n}$. You are allowed to choose two real numbers $ 0<p_1<1$ and $ 0<p_2<1$ and order two coins which satisfy the following requirement: the probability of tossing "heads" on the first coin $ p_1$ and the probability of tossing "heads" on the second coin is $ p_2$. Before starting the procedure, you are supposed to announce an upper bound on the total number of times that the two coins are going to be flipped altogether. Describe a procedure that achieves this goal under the given conditions.

1986 Vietnam National Olympiad, 2

Tags: geometry , inequalities , circumcircle , inradius , trigonometry , 3d geometry , pyramid

Let $ R$, $ r$ be respectively the circumradius and inradius of a regular $ 1986$-gonal pyramid. Prove that \[ \frac{R}{r}\ge 1\plus{}\frac{1}{\cos\frac{\pi}{1986}}\] and find the total area of the surface of the pyramid when the equality occurs.

2004 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 1

Tags: inequalities

For reals $1\leq a\leq b \leq c \leq d \leq e \leq f$ prove inequality $(af + be + cd)(af + bd + ce) \leq (a + b^2 + c^3 )(d + e^2 + f^3 )$.

2005 Germany Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: inequalities , algebra

Given the positive numbers $a$ and $b$ and the natural number $n$, find the greatest among the $n + 1$ monomials in the binomial expansion of $\left(a+b\right)^n$.

1990 IMO Longlists, 43

Tags: inequalities , geometry

Let $V$ be a finite set of points in three-dimensional space. Let $S_1, S_2, S_3$ be the sets consisting of the orthogonal projections of the points of $V$ onto the $yz$-plane, $zx$-plane, $xy$-plane, respectively. Prove that $| V|^2 \leq | S1|\cdot|S2|\cdot |S3|$, where $| A|$ denotes the number of elements in the finite set $A.$

2002 Baltic Way, 4

Tags: inequalities

Let $n$ be a positive integer. Prove that \[\sum_{i=1}^nx_i(1-x_i)^2\le\left(1-\frac{1}{n}\right)^2 \] for all nonnegative real numbers $x_1,x_2,\ldots ,x_n$ such that $x_1+x_2+\ldots x_n=1$.

1995 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 5

Tags: inequalities , quadratic

Show that for any triangle $ABC$, the following inequality is true: \[ a^2 + b^2 +c^2 > \sqrt{3} max \{ |a^2 - b^2|, |b^2 -c^2|, |c^2 -a^2| \} . \]

1973 Czech and Slovak Olympiad III A, 3

Tags: inequalities , algebra , mean

Let $\left(a_k\right)_{k=1}^\infty$ be a sequence of real numbers such that \[a_{k-1}+a_{k+1}\ge2a_k\] for all $k>1.$ For $n\ge1$ denote \[A_n=\frac1n\left(a_1+\cdots+a_n\right).\] Show that also the inequality \[A_{n-1}+A_{n+1}\ge2A_n\] holds for every $n>1.$

2010 Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, 6

Tags: cauchy inequality , inequalities

For each integer $n\geqslant2$, determine the largest real constant $C_n$ such that for all positive real numbers $a_1, \ldots, a_n$ we have \[\frac{a_1^2+\ldots+a_n^2}{n}\geqslant\left(\frac{a_1+\ldots+a_n}{n}\right)^2+C_n\cdot(a_1-a_n)^2\mbox{.}\] [i](4th Middle European Mathematical Olympiad, Team Competition, Problem 2)[/i]

2011 Kosovo National Mathematical Olympiad, 3

Tags: logarithm , inequalities

Prove that the following inequality holds: \[ \left( \log_{24}48 \right)^2+ \left( \log_{12}54 \right)^2>4\]

2002 BAMO, 4

Tags: inequalities , number theory , divisor

For $n \ge 1$, let $a_n$ be the largest odd divisor of $n$, and let $b_n = a_1+a_2+...+a_n$. Prove that $b_n \ge \frac{ n^2 + 2}{3}$, and determine for which $n$ equality holds. For example, $a_1 = 1, a_2 = 1, a_3 = 3, a_4 = 1, a_5 = 5, a_6 = 3$, thus $b_6 = 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 5 + 3 = 14 \ge \frac{ 6^2 + 2}{3}= 12\frac23$ .