If x, y, and z lie between 0 and 1 on the number line, with

If x, y, and z lie between 0 and 1 on the number line, with no two variables equal, then the product of all three variables divided by the sum of all the distinct products of exactly two of the three variables is between

(A) 0 and 1/3
(B) 1/3 and 2/3
(C) 2/3 and 1
(D) 1 and 5/3
(E) 5/3 and 7/3

We need to find the value of \(\frac{xyz}{xy+xz+yz}\).

Consider the reciprocal of this fraction: \(\frac{xy+xz+yz}{xyz}\).

Split it: \(\frac{xy+xz+yz}{xyz}=\frac{xy}{xyz}+\frac{xz}{xyz}+\frac{yz}{xyz}=\frac{1}{z}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{x}\).

Now, since all variables are between 0 and 1, then all reciprocals \(\frac{1}{z}\), \(\frac{1}{y}\) and \(\frac{1}{x}\), are more than 1, thus \(\frac{1}{z}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{x}\) is more than 3.

Which means that our initial fraction is between 0 and 1/3.

For example if \(\frac{xy+xz+yz}{xyz}=\frac{1}{z}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{x}\) is 4 (so more than 3), then \(\frac{xyz}{xy+xz+yz}\) is 1/4 which is between 0 and 1/3.

Answer: A.

Of course one can also assign some values to x, y, and z and directly calculate \(\frac{xyz}{xy+xz+yz}\).

Hope it's clear.