# Inequality problems

I have Maths test tomorrow and was just doing my revision when I came across these two questions. Would anyone please give me a nudge in the right direction?

$1)$ If $x$ is real and $$y=\frac{x^2+4x-17}{2(x-3)},$$ show that $|y-5|\geq2$

$2)$ If $a>0$, $b>0$, prove that $$\left(a+\frac1b\right)\left(2b+\frac1{2a}\right)\ge\frac92$$

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For $a=b=1$ you have $\frac{a+1}{b}.\frac{2b+1}{2a}=3 < \frac92$, so the second one is probably not copied correctly. (Or the meaning was change by one of the edits.) –  Martin Sleziak Jul 23 '12 at 10:05
BTW if you write that his question is from your preparation for the exam and revising, there's probably no need to tag it as homework. (Although I am aware that some users use this tag when they don't want to get full solutions, only hints/suggestions.) –  Martin Sleziak Jul 23 '12 at 10:09
Is the second one supposed to be $(a+\frac1b)(2b+\frac1{2a})\ge\frac92$? This can be typeset as: $(a+\frac1b)(2b+\frac1{2a})\ge\frac92$. –  Martin Sleziak Jul 23 '12 at 10:21
The second one is false as stated: for $a=b=1$ it says that $3\ge\frac92$. –  Brian M. Scott Jul 23 '12 at 10:23
Thanks @martin , yeah, that was what my question was originally, but someone misunderstood my question and edited it in their way I guess. –  Sophia Jul 23 '12 at 13:44

For the first problem: Write it as $$\begin{eqnarray} \left(y-5\right)^2-4&=&\left(\frac{x^2+4x-17}{2(x-3)}-5\right)^2-4\\ &=&\left(\frac{x^2+4x-17-10x+30}{2(x-3)}\right)^2-4\\ &=&\left(\frac{x^2-6x+13}{2(x-3)}\right)^2-4\\ &=&\frac{(x^2-6x+13)^2 - 16(x-3)^2}{4(x-3)^2}\\ &=&\frac{169-156 x+62 x^2-12 x^3+x^4 - 16x^2+96x-144}{4(x-3)^2}\\ &=&\frac{x^4 -12x^3+46x^2 -60x+25}{4(x-3)^2}\\ &=&\frac{(x^2 -6x+5)^2}{4(x-3)^2}\\ &=&\frac{(x-5)^2(x-1)^2}{4(x-3)^2}\ge 0 \end{eqnarray}$$ So only squares show up, hence it's positive.

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I've changed $-13$ to $+13$ in two spaces (probably a typo). BTW the same can be done with less intermediate steps as $(x^2-6x+13)^2-(4x-12)^2=(x^2-10x+25)(x^2-2x+1)=(x-5)^2(x-1)^2$; which is obtained using the formula $a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b)$ for $a=x^2-6x+13$ and $b=4x-12$. –  Martin Sleziak Jul 23 '12 at 13:28
@MartinSleziak thanks –  draks ... Jul 23 '12 at 13:29

Expression in (2) is $$2ab+\frac{1}{2ab}+\frac{5}{2}$$ Applying $AM \geq GM$ on the first two terms gives $$2ab+\frac{1}{2ab} \geq 2$$ Substituting in the previous expression yields the given inequality.

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Only the first problem.

By long division you have $$y=\frac{x+7}2+\frac2{x-3}$$ and thus $$y-5=\frac{x-3}2+\frac2{x-3}.$$

So if you substitute $t=\frac{x-3}2$, it suffices to show $$\left|t+\frac1t\right|\ge2$$ for $t\ne 0$, which is the same as $$t+\frac1t\ge2$$ for $t>0$.

There are many methods how to show this last inequality.

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