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Exercise 699Algebra › InequalitiesL1Added 31 Oct 2026

AM-GM for three numbers

#inequalities#AM-GM

Statement

Let a,b,c>0a,b,c>0 with abc=1abc=1. Prove that a+b+c≥3a+b+c\ge3, and find when equality holds.

Hint

First prove that x3+y3+z3≥3xyzx^3+y^3+z^3\ge3xyz for x,y,z≥0x,y,z\ge0, using a factorisation. Then take cube roots of a,b,ca,b,c.

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Solution

For x,y,z≥0x,y,z\ge0 we have the identity
x3+y3+z3−3xyz=12(x+y+z)[(x−y)2+(y−z)2+(z−x)2]≥0.x^3+y^3+z^3-3xyz=\tfrac12(x+y+z)\left[(x-y)^2+(y-z)^2+(z-x)^2\right]\ge0.

Apply it to x=a1/3x=a^{1/3}, y=b1/3y=b^{1/3}, z=c1/3z=c^{1/3}. Then xyz=(abc)1/3=1xyz=(abc)^{1/3}=1 and x3+y3+z3=a+b+cx^3+y^3+z^3=a+b+c, so a+b+c≥3a+b+c\ge3.

Equality holds exactly when x=y=zx=y=z, that is a=b=ca=b=c, and with abc=1abc=1 this gives a=b=c=1a=b=c=1.