Finding a bound for $\sum_{\text{cyc}}\frac{\sin B+\sin C}A$ if $\triangle ABC$ is not obtuse.

calculuscontest-mathinequalitytrianglestrigonometry

The following question appeared in a JEE mock exam held two days ago.

Question:

$\triangle ABC$ is not obtuse then value of $\displaystyle\sum_{\text{cyc}}\frac{\sin B+\sin C}A$ must be greater than

  • A) $\frac6\pi$
  • B) $3$
  • C) $\frac{12}\pi$
  • D) $\frac1\pi$

My Attempt:

I first tried with sine rule $$\frac a{\sin A}=\frac b{\sin B}=\frac c{\sin C}$$

But couldn't do anything with it.

Then I used $\sin B+\sin C=2\sin\left(\frac{B+C}2\right)\cos\left(\frac{B-C}2\right)=2\cos\frac A2\cos\left(\frac{B-C}2\right)$

But couldn't finish this approach either.

Then I tried using Jensen inequality but in vain.

Then I thought I would assume a function and find its minimum value. But couldn't decide what function to take.

Best Answer

Another answer, elementary this time. Make everything have as common denominator $ABC$. Then the sum is

$BC\dfrac{\sin B+\sin C}{ABC}$+$AC\dfrac{\sin C+\sin A}{ABC}$+$AB\dfrac{\sin A+\sin B}{ABC}$ $(1)$

Now notice that the function $\,\,\dfrac{\sin x}{x}$ is strictly decreasing on $[0,\dfrac{\pi}{2}]$. (Elementary calculus). Therefore

$\dfrac{\sin A}{A}\geq\dfrac{2}{\pi}$. Likewise for $B,C$. Then $(1)$ gives that the sum is

$\geq$

$\dfrac{B}{A}$$\dfrac{2}{\pi}$+$\dfrac{C}{A}.\dfrac{2}{\pi}$+......$\geq\,6\dfrac{2}{\pi}$=$\dfrac{12}{\pi}$.

(Because $\dfrac{A}{B}+\dfrac{B}{A}\,\geq\,2$ for any positive $A,B.$)

This does NOT provide a minimum but it gives one of the answers (and therefore all the others are correct)!!