SOLUTION: If a,b,c,d are in H.P., prove that ab+bc+cd = 3ad

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Question 933333: If a,b,c,d are in H.P., prove that ab+bc+cd = 3ad
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If a,b,c,d are in H.P., prove that ab+bc+cd = 3ad
Then the reciprocals  are in AP.

Let 2k = the common difference of the AP
Let m = the mean of the four terms of the AP 

[Note: m is the number half-way between the middle two terms, so 1/b is k 
less than m and 1/a is 2k less than 1/b or 3k less than m.  Similarly 1/c
is k more than m and 1/d is 2k more than 1/c or 3k more than m.)

So 1%2Fb=m-k, 1%2Fa=m-3k, 1%2Fc=m%2Bk, 1%2Fd=m%2B3k

and b=1%2F%28m-k%29, a=1%2F%28m-3k%29, c=1%2F%28m%2Bk%29, d=1%2F%28m%2B3k%29

ab%2Bbc%2Bcd%22%22=%22%22%22%22=%22%22

Get LCD:

%22%22=%22%22

%22%22=%22%22

%283m%5E2-3k%5E2%29%2F%28%28m-3k%29%28m-k%29%28m%2Bk%29%28m%2B3k%29%29%22%22=%22%22

%283%28m%5E2-k%5E2%29%29%2F%28%28m-3k%29%28m-k%29%28m%2Bk%29%28m%2B3k%29%29%22%22=%22%22

%283%28m-k%29%28m%2Bk%29%29%2F%28%28m-3k%29%28m-k%29%28m%2Bk%29%28m%2B3k%29%29%22%22=%22%22
 
%22%22=%22%22

3%2F%28%28m-3k%29%28m%2B3k%29%29%22%22=%22%22

3%281%2F%28m-3k%29%29%281%2F%28m%2B3k%29%29%22%22=%22%22

3ad

Edwin