Inequality--is there an elegant way to solve this?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a mathematical inequality involving positive variables \(x\), \(y\), and \(z\) constrained by the condition \(x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 1\). Participants explore various methods to demonstrate the inequality, including the use of Lagrange multipliers and spherical coordinates.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest using Lagrange multipliers as a method to approach the inequality.
  • Others propose finding the minimum point of a function defined by the inequality and verifying that it is non-negative under the given constraint.
  • One participant introduces the use of spherical coordinates to potentially simplify the problem and evaluate the minimum of a transformed function.
  • There is a question raised about the need for trigonometric identities in the context of the spherical coordinates approach.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing methods to tackle the inequality, and no consensus is reached on a single approach or solution.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes various assumptions about the methods proposed, such as the applicability of Lagrange multipliers and the effectiveness of spherical coordinates, which may depend on the participants' familiarity with these techniques.

Dustinsfl
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$x,y,z >0$ and $x^2 + y^2 + z^ = 1$, show that

$$xyz+\sqrt{x^2y^2+y^2z^2+x^2z^2}\ge \dfrac{4}{3}\sqrt{xyz(x+y+z)}$$
 
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Re: inequality--is there an elegant way to solve this?

I would try using Lagrange multipliers.
 
dwsmith said:
$x,y,z >0$ and $x^2 + y^2 + z^ = 1$, show that

$$xyz+\sqrt{x^2y^2+y^2z^2+x^2z^2}\ge \dfrac{4}{3}\sqrt{xyz(x+y+z)}$$

A way that doesn't require high level knowledege [even if non comfortable from the point od view of computation...] is fo find the point $\displaystyle (x_{0},y_{0}, z_{0})$ of minimum of the function... $\displaystyle f(x,y,z)= x\ y\ z + \sqrt{x^{2}\ y^{2}\ + x^{2}\ z^{2} + y^{2}\ z^{2}} - \frac{4}{3}\ \sqrt{x\ y\ z\ (x + y + z)}\ (1)$

... under the hypothesis that $\displaystyle x_{0}^{2} + y_{0}^{2}+ z_{0}^{2} = 1$ and then to verify that is $\displaystyle f(x_{0},y_{0},z_{0}) \ge 0$... Kind regards $\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Last edited:
chisigma said:
A way that doesn't require high level knowledege [even if non comfortable from the point od view of computation...] is fo find the point $\displaystyle (x_{0},y_{0}, z_{0})$ of minimum of the function... $\displaystyle f(x,y,z)= x\ y\ z + \sqrt{x^{2}\ y^{2}\ + x^{2}\ z^{2} + y^{2}\ z^{2}} - \frac{4}{3}\ \sqrt{x\ y\ z\ (x + y + z)}\ (1)$

... under the hypothesis that $\displaystyle x_{0}^{2} + y_{0}^{2}+ z_{0}^{2} = 1$ and then to verify that is $\displaystyle f(x_{0},y_{0},z_{0}) \ge 0$... Kind regards $\chi$ $\sigma$

And an 'elegant way' to do that is to use spherical coordinates...

$\displaystyle x= r\ \sin \theta\ \cos \phi$

$\displaystyle y = r\ \sin \theta\ \sin \phi$

$z=r\ \cos \theta\ (1)$... then evaluate the absolute minimum $\displaystyle (\theta_{0}, \phi_{0})$ of $\displaystyle f(1,\theta,\phi)$ and finally verify that $\displaystyle f(1,\theta_{0},\phi_{0}) \ge 0$... Kind regards $\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Last edited:
chisigma said:
And an 'elegant way' to do that is to use spherical coordinates...

$\displaystyle x= r\ \sin \theta\ \cos \phi$

$\displaystyle y = r\ \sin \theta\ \sin \phi$

$z=r\ \cos \theta\ (1)$... then evaluate the absolute minimum $\displaystyle (\theta_{0}, \phi_{0})$ of $\displaystyle f(1,\theta,\phi)$ and finally verify that $\displaystyle f(1,\theta_{0},\phi_{0}) \ge 0$... Kind regards $\chi$ $\sigma$
When we re-write $f$, we get

\begin{align}
f(1,\theta,\phi) &= \sqrt{\sin ^2(\theta ) \left(\sin ^2(\theta ) \sin ^2(\phi ) \cos ^2(\phi )+\cos ^2(\theta )\right)}+\sin ^2(\theta ) \cos (\theta ) \sin (\phi ) \cos (\phi )\\
&-\frac{4}{3} \sqrt{\sin ^2(\theta ) \cos (\theta ) \sin (\phi ) \cos (\phi ) (\sin (\theta ) (\sin (\phi )+\cos (\phi ))+\cos (\theta ))}
\end{align}

Are there some trig identities I need to be utilizing now?
 

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