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Exercise 2166Algebra › InequalitiesOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026

Schur's inequality via SOS

#Schur#SOS#symmetric

Statement

Prove Schur's inequality for r=1r=1 and a,b,c≥0a,b,c\ge0:
a(a−b)(a−c)+b(b−c)(b−a)+c(c−a)(c−b)≥0.a(a-b)(a-c)+b(b-c)(b-a)+c(c-a)(c-b)\ge0.

Hint

Assume a≥b≥ca\ge b\ge c and factor as (a−b)2(a+b−c)+c(a−c)(b−c)(a-b)^2(a+b-c)+c(a-c)(b-c).

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Solution

WLOG. By symmetry, assume a≥b≥c≥0a\ge b\ge c\ge0.

Factorisation.
a(a−b)(a−c)+b(b−c)(b−a)=(a−b)[a(a−c)−b(b−c)]=(a−b)(a−b)(a+b−c)=(a−b)2(a+b−c).a(a-b)(a-c)+b(b-c)(b-a)=(a-b)[a(a-c)-b(b-c)]=(a-b)(a-b)(a+b-c)=(a-b)^2(a+b-c).
And c(c−a)(c−b)=c(a−c)(b−c)c(c-a)(c-b)=c(a-c)(b-c) (since both factors are negative in the original, their product is positive).

So the LHS is
(a−b)2(a+b−c)+c(a−c)(b−c).(a-b)^2(a+b-c)+c(a-c)(b-c).

Non-negativity. a+b−c≥0a+b-c\ge0 (since a≥ca\ge c), (a−b)2≥0(a-b)^2\ge0, c≥0c\ge0, a−c≥0a-c\ge0, b−c≥0b-c\ge0. All terms are ≥0\ge0.

Equality. a=b=ca=b=c, or a=ba=b and c=0c=0 (and permutations).

Conclusion. Schur's inequality holds.