Given the system {(x+y+z=a),(x^2+y^2+z^2=b^2),(xy=z^2):} determine the conditions over a,b such that x,y,z are distinct positive numbers?

2 Answers
Nov 8, 2016

c<=a/sqrt 3<=b, for the third surface taken as xy=c^2. Instead, for (c-absent) xy = z^2, the answer is a/sqrt 3<=b

Explanation:

In the first octant (O_1), the plane x+y+z=a is just an equilateral

triangular area, with vertices (a, 0, 0), (0, a, 0) and (0, 0, a). The

section of this area by the sphere x^2+y^2+z^2=b^2 exists, if and

only if the length of the perpendicular from the origin on this plane

a/sqrt 3<=b.

Consider the third as xy=c^2. It represents a rectangular

hyperbolic cylinder. The part of this in O_1 exists from and

beyond the plane x+y=sqrt 2 c.

For the hyperboloid to meet the section of the other two,

the length of the perpendicular from the origin O on this plane ( that

touches the hyperboloid ).,

c<=a/sqrt 3<=b.

Instead, for (c-absent) xy = z^2, the answer is a/sqrt 3<=b

Under this condition, z>=0 is like the parameter c for xy=c^2.

Despite that xy=z^2 is a single surface and xy=c^2 is a family of

surfaces, it is relevant that the section of xy=z^2 by the plane

z=c is the RH xy=c^2

Nov 8, 2016

See below.

Explanation:

Substituting xy=z^2 into x^2+y^2+z^2=b^2 we get at

x^2+y^2+xy=b^2

x+y=a-z->(x+y)^2=(a-z)^2 so

x^2+y^2+2xy=z^2-2az+a^2 or substituting xy=z^2

x^2+y^2+xy=a^2-2az so we have obtained

b^2 = a^2-2az and z = (a^2-b^2)/(2a)

so

x+y=a- (a^2-b^2)/(2a)=(a^2+b^2)/(2a)

but

xy=z^2= (a^2-b^2)^2/(4a^2)

Solving the polynomial

gamma^2-(x+y)gamma+xy=0 or equivalently

gamma^2-(a^2+b^2)/(2a)gamma+(a^2-b^2)^2/(4a^2)=0

we have

gamma = (a^2+b^2)/(4a)pmsqrt((3 b^2-a^2) (3 a^2 - b^2))/(4a)

gamma represents here the two solutions x,y so the conditions for realness are:

(3 b^2-a^2) (3 a^2 - b^2)ge 0. We let to the reader as an exercise, to work out those conditions.

Attached a figure showing the surfaces,

enter image source here