Solving the Equation (x^2 + 4)^2 - 11(x^2 + 4) + 24 = 0
This equation might look intimidating at first, but we can solve it using a simple substitution.
1. Substitution
Let's substitute y = x^2 + 4. This transforms our equation into:
y^2 - 11y + 24 = 0
2. Solving the Quadratic Equation
This is now a standard quadratic equation. We can solve it by factoring:
(y - 8)(y - 3) = 0
This gives us two possible solutions for y:
- y = 8
- y = 3
3. Back Substitution
Now, we need to substitute back x^2 + 4 for y in both solutions:
- x^2 + 4 = 8
- x^2 + 4 = 3
4. Solving for x
Solving for x in each equation:
- x^2 = 4 => x = ±2
- x^2 = -1 => x = ±i (where i is the imaginary unit, √-1)
Therefore, the solutions to the equation (x^2 + 4)^2 - 11(x^2 + 4) + 24 = 0 are:
- x = 2
- x = -2
- x = i
- x = -i