Geometry – Prove Inequality in Right-Angled Triangle ABC

geometryinequalitytrigonometry

The question

The triangle $ABC$ is right-angled in $A$. Prove that the inequality $(1-\sin B)(1-\sin C)\leq \frac{{(\sqrt{2}-1)}^2}{2}$ holds

The idea

Let's note the sides of the triangle as $a,b,c$

This means that according to the Pythagoras $a^2=b^2+c^2$.

I also tried replacing $\sin B =\frac{AC}{BC}$ and $\sin C= \frac{AB}{BC}$, but got to nothing useful.

I thought of using the sine rule…but again, I got to nothing…

I hope one of you can help me! Thank you!

Best Answer

WLOG the hypotenuse is 1. Let the legs be $a,b$. Denote $ab = x$. $$(1-a)(1-b) = \frac{a^2b^2}{1+a+b+ab} \le \frac{a^2b^2}{1+2\sqrt {ab}+ab} = \left(\frac{x}{1+\sqrt x}\right)^2$$ Now, consider: $$\frac{x}{1+\sqrt x} = \sqrt x - \frac{\sqrt x}{\sqrt x+1} = \sqrt x -1 + \frac 1{\sqrt x+1} = \sqrt x+1 + \frac 1{\sqrt x+1} -2$$ The function $f(y) = y+\frac 1y$ is increasing for $y>1$, so the expression attains max value when $\sqrt x$ is maximum. Verify that this happens when $a=b$ as: $$\sqrt{ab} \le \sqrt{(a^2+b^2)/2} = \frac 1{\sqrt 2}$$by AM-GM. Equality when $a=b$.


Claim: $\forall y>1$, $y+1/y$ is strictly increasing.
Proof: Let $m>n>1$. Observe that $$\left(m+\frac 1m\right)-\left(n+\frac 1n\right)$$ $$ = (m-n)+\left(\frac 1m - \frac 1n\right)$$ $$= (m-n)+\left(\frac {n-m}{mn}\right)$$ $$= (m-n)\left(1 - \frac 1{mn}\right) >0$$

Related Question