2001
Problem - 3905
Let $a$ and $b$ be two positive real numbers not exceeding $1$. Prove $$\frac{1}{\sqrt{a^2 + 1}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{b^2 +1}}\le\frac{2}{\sqrt{1+ab}}$$
Let $a=\tan\alpha$ and $b=\tan\beta$ where $\alpha, \beta\in(0, \frac{\pi}{4}]$. Then
$$\begin{array}{lrcl}
&\frac{1}{\sqrt{a^2 + 1}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{b^2 +1}}&\le&\frac{2}{\sqrt{1+ab}}\\
\Leftrightarrow&\frac{1}{\sqrt{\tan^2\alpha+1}}+\frac{1}{\sqrt{\tan^2\beta+1}}&\le&\frac{2}{\sqrt{1+\tan\alpha\tan\beta}}\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos\alpha+\cos\beta&\le&2\sqrt{\frac{\cos\alpha\cos\beta}{\cos\alpha\cos\beta+\sin\alpha\sin\beta}}\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos\alpha+\cos\beta&\le&2\sqrt{\frac{\cos\alpha\cos\beta}{\cos(\alpha-\beta)}}
\end{array}$$
Because $\alpha, \beta\in(0, \frac{\pi}{4}]$, it must hold that $$0 < \cos\alpha, \cos\beta, \cos(\alpha-\beta) < 1$$
Hence, the last inequality is equivalent to its square, i.e.:
$$\begin{array}{lrcl}
&(\cos\alpha + \cos\beta)^2&\le&4\cdot\frac{\cos\alpha\cos\beta}{\cos(\alpha-\beta)})\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos^2\alpha+\cos^2\beta+2\cos\alpha\cos\beta&\le&\frac{4\cos\alpha\cos\beta}{\cos(\alpha-\beta)}\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos(\alpha-\beta)(\cos^2\alpha+\cos^2\beta)&\le&(4-2\cos(\alpha-\beta))\cos\alpha\cos\beta
\end{array}$$
Because $0 < \cos(\alpha-\beta) < 1$, therefore it is sufficient to show
$$\begin{array}{lrcl}
&\cos(\alpha-\beta)(\cos^2\alpha+\cos^2\beta)&\le&(4-2)\cos\alpha\cos\beta\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos(\alpha-\beta)(\cos^2\alpha+\cos^2\beta)&\le&2\cos\alpha\cos\beta\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos(\alpha-\beta)\Big(\frac{1+\cos 2\alpha}{2}+\frac{1+\cos 2\beta}{2}\Big)&\le&2\cos\alpha\cos\beta\\
\Leftrightarrow&\cos(\alpha-\beta)(\cos 2\alpha + \cos 2\beta +2)&\ge&4\cos\alpha\cos\beta
\end{array}$$
Applying sum-to-product transformation on the left gives
$$\cos(\alpha-\beta)(2\cos(\alpha+\beta)\cos(\alpha-\beta)+2)$$
Applying product-to-sum transformation on the right gives
$$2(\cos(\alpha+\beta)+\cos(\alpha-\beta))$$
Setting these back and rearranging yields
$$\begin{array}{lrcl}
\Leftrightarrow & \cos^2(\alpha-\beta)\cos(\alpha+\beta) &\le&\cos(\alpha+\beta)
\end{array} $$
This clearly holds because $\cos^2(\alpha-\beta) \le 1$ and $$0 < \alpha, \beta \le \frac{\pi}{4}\implies 0 < \alpha + \beta \le \frac{\pi}{2}\implies 0 \le \cos(\alpha + \beta) < 1$$