Positive Integers: Evaluate $a+b+c$

1 reply · 2K views · last reply
anemone
Gold Member
MHB
POTW Director
Messages
3,851
Reaction score
115
$a,\,b$ and $c$ are positive integers that satisfy the inequality $ab+3b+2c>a^2+b^2+c^2+3$. Evaluate $a+b+c$.
 
We have$a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 3 < ab + 3b +2c$or $(a^2-ab) + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3 < 0$or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 - \frac{b^2}{4} + (b^2 - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) + 3< 0$Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + (3 \frac{b^2}{4} - 3b) + (c^2 - 2c) +3 < 0$Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b^2}{4} - b + 1) + (c^2 - 2c) < 0$Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c^2 - 2c+1) < 1$Or $(a-\frac{b}{2})^2 + 3(\frac{b}{2} -1)^2 + (c-1)^2 < 1$For these to be true each of the terms has to be zero.(it can be seen that each of the terms which is squared if not zero has to be minimum $\frac{1}{4}$ giving sum 1 which is not true)So b = 2 a = 1 and c = 1 is the solution giving a+b+c = 4
 
Last edited by a moderator: