there's little sense in dealing with #3 algebraically: because of the subtraction, it can clearly equal 0 (if x and y are the same number). since 1/√(x + y) is a positive number, the possibility of 0 rules out roman numeral III. (in fact, that expression can even be negative, as nothing prohibits x from being smaller than y.)

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if you want to compare two fractions, you can use the technique of cross products to perform the comparison.
to use this technique, you take the two 'cross products' (one of the numerators, times the denominator of the other fraction), and associate each of the cross products with whichever fraction donated the numerator.
for instance, if you're comparing 2/3 vs. 11/17, then the cross products are 2 x 17 = 34 (associated with 2/3) and 3 x 11 = 33 (associated with 11/17). because 34 is greater than 33, it follows that 2/3 is greater than 11/17.

notice that this technique only applies to positive fractions... but that's all you really need: if the fractions have opposite signs, then the comparison is trivial (the positive one is bigger!), and if the fractions are both negative, then the comparison is the opposite of whatever it would be if they were positive.

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find cross products in #(i):
√(x + y)/2x vs. 1/√(x + y)
cross products are (x + y) vs. 2x
subtract one x from both sides --> this comparison is the same as y vs. x
we don't know which is bigger.

find cross products in #(ii):
(√x + √y)/(x + y) vs. 1/√(x + y)
cross products are (√x + √y)√(x + y) vs. (x + y)
divide both sides by √(x + y) to give (√x + √y) vs. √(x + y) --- remember that (quantity) divided by √(quantity) is √(quantity) -- that's the definition of what a square root is.
since both of these quantities are positive, we can square them and compare the squares:
(√x + √y)^2 vs. (√(x + y))^2
x + 2√xy + y vs. x + y
left hand side is bigger
so the original fraction is bigger than 1/√(x + y)

ans = ii only

there may well be a shorter and more elegant way to figure out #(ii), but i can't conjure one at the moment. a beer to anyone who can.
_________________
ron purewal

instructor, mgmat