Prove that $$\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x}<9$$ for all real $x$ for which the left-hand side is well defined.
Problem
Source: 2015 Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad Problem 1
Tags: inequalities
26.08.2015 17:46
From Cauchy-Schwarz inequality we have $$\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x}\le\sqrt{3(x-1+2x+9+19-3x)}=\sqrt{3\cdot 27}=9.$$We would have equality if and only if $x-1=2x+9=19-3x$,which is not possible.Thus the inequality is strict.
26.08.2015 17:46
Observe that $\frac{\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x}}{3}\leq \sqrt{\frac{(x-1)+(2x+9)+(19-3x)}{3}}=3.$ So $\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x}\leq 9$ with equality iff $\sqrt{x-1}=\sqrt{2x+9}=\sqrt{19-3x}$. This obviosly cannot occur, therefore $\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x}<9$.
27.08.2015 06:30
It is more beautiful . Let $x$ be real . Prove that $$\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x-3}+\sqrt{7-3x}\leq 3.$$ See also here China Second Round Olympiad 2003 Q13
01.07.2018 23:04
Solution By AM-QM $\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x-3}+\sqrt{7-3x}\leq \sqrt{3(x-1+2x-3+7-3x)}=3$ with equality iff they are all equall $\iff x=1$
02.07.2018 01:28
WolfusA wrote: Solution By AM-QM $\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x-3}+\sqrt{7-3x}\leq \sqrt{3(x-1+2x-3+7-3x)}=3$ with equality iff they are all equall $\iff x=1$ maybe equality doesn't hold in this case as the $2x-3$ would be negative?
03.07.2018 12:24
Sorry, equality iff $x=2$
17.06.2020 01:19
Cauchy gives us \[(\sqrt{x-1}+\sqrt{2x+9}+\sqrt{19-3x})^2\geq (1+1+1)(x-1+2x+9+19-3x)=81.\]Square rooting finishes.
17.06.2020 02:03
Alternatively since $f(x) = \sqrt{x}$ is concave Jensen's gives us $\sqrt{x-1} + \sqrt{2x+9} + \sqrt{19-3x} < 3 \sqrt{\frac{x-1+2x+9+19-3x}3} = 9$ with equality iff $x-1 = 2x+9 = 19-3x$, which, as others have said, is impossible.