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Exercise 611Algebra › InequalitiesOlympiadAdded 4 Nov 2026

Nesbitt's inequality

#Nesbitt#Cauchy-Schwarz#Titu's lemma

Statement

Let a,b,c>0a,b,c>0. Prove that
ab+c+bc+a+ca+b≥32.\frac a{b+c}+\frac b{c+a}+\frac c{a+b}\ge\frac32.

Hint

Write ab+c=a2a(b+c)\frac a{b+c}=\frac{a^2}{a(b+c)} and use Titu's lemma (Cauchy-Schwarz in Engel form): ∑xi2yi≥(∑xi)2∑yi\sum\frac{x_i^2}{y_i}\ge\frac{(\sum x_i)^2}{\sum y_i} for yi>0y_i>0.

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Solution

Idea. Put every fraction in the form x2y\frac{x^2}{y}.

Titu.
∑ab+c=∑a2a(b+c)≥(a+b+c)2∑a(b+c)=(a+b+c)22(ab+bc+ca).\sum\frac a{b+c}=\sum\frac{a^2}{a(b+c)}\ge\frac{(a+b+c)^2}{\sum a(b+c)}=\frac{(a+b+c)^2}{2(ab+bc+ca)}.

Last step. (a+b+c)2=a2+b2+c2+2(ab+bc+ca)≥3(ab+bc+ca)(a+b+c)^2=a^2+b^2+c^2+2(ab+bc+ca)\ge3(ab+bc+ca) because a2+b2+c2≥ab+bc+caa^2+b^2+c^2\ge ab+bc+ca (it is 12∑(a−b)2≥0\frac12\sum(a-b)^2\ge0). Therefore
(a+b+c)22(ab+bc+ca)≥3(ab+bc+ca)2(ab+bc+ca)=32.\frac{(a+b+c)^2}{2(ab+bc+ca)}\ge\frac{3(ab+bc+ca)}{2(ab+bc+ca)}=\frac32.

Equality iff a=b=ca=b=c.

Remark (Titu from Cauchy-Schwarz). (∑xi2yi)(∑yi)≥(∑xi)2\left(\sum\frac{x_i^2}{y_i}\right)\left(\sum y_i\right)\ge\left(\sum x_i\right)^2 is Cauchy-Schwarz applied to the vectors (xiyi)\left(\frac{x_i}{\sqrt{y_i}}\right) and (yi)\left(\sqrt{y_i}\right).

Lesson. A sum of fractions somethingsomething\frac{\text{something}}{\text{something}}: multiply numerator and denominator to create squares in the numerators, then use Titu.