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Exercise 2164Algebra › InequalitiesOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026

Sum of squares decomposition

#SOS#sum of squares#factorization

Statement

Show that
a2b2+b2c2+c2a2≥abc(a+b+c)a^2b^2+b^2c^2+c^2a^2\ge abc(a+b+c)
for all a,b,c≥0a,b,c\ge0.

Hint

Divide by abcabc (if abc>0abc>0) and use a+b+c≤a+b+c\le sum of ratios.

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Solution

Case abc=0abc=0. If, say, c=0c=0, then the LHS is a2b2≥0a^2b^2\ge0 and the RHS is 00. Inequality holds.

Case abc>0abc>0. Divide by abcabc:
abc+bca+cab≥a+b+c.\frac{ab}{c}+\frac{bc}{a}+\frac{ca}{b}\ge a+b+c.

Substitution. Let x=ab/cx=ab/c, y=bc/ay=bc/a, z=ca/bz=ca/b. Then xyz=abcxyz=abc. Hmm, this is not obviously simpler.

Direct approach. By AM-GM, a2b2+b2c2≥2ab2ca^2b^2+b^2c^2\ge2ab^2c, etc. Summing gives 2(a2b2+b2c2+c2a2)≥2abc(a+b+c)2(a^2b^2+b^2c^2+c^2a^2)\ge2abc(a+b+c). So a2b2+b2c2+c2a2≥abc(a+b+c)a^2b^2+b^2c^2+c^2a^2\ge abc(a+b+c).

Conclusion. The inequality holds, with equality iff a=b=ca=b=c.

Remark. This is a nice AM-GM application: pair terms and bound by 2⋅2\cdot product.