Solving the Equation (x² - 7)² + 2x² - 14 = 0
This equation looks complex at first glance, but we can solve it by employing a few algebraic tricks. Here's how:
1. Simplifying the Equation
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Recognize the pattern: Notice that the expression (x² - 7)² is a perfect square. We can rewrite the equation as: (x² - 7)² + 2(x² - 7) = 0
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Substitution: Let's make a substitution to simplify the equation further. Let y = (x² - 7). Now the equation becomes: y² + 2y = 0
2. Solving the Quadratic Equation
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Factoring: We can factor out a 'y' from the equation: y(y + 2) = 0
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Zero Product Property: For the product of two factors to be zero, at least one of them must be zero. Therefore, we have two possible solutions:
- y = 0
- y + 2 = 0
3. Substituting Back and Solving for x
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Substitute y back: Now we need to substitute back (x² - 7) for y in both equations:
- x² - 7 = 0
- x² - 7 + 2 = 0
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Solve for x:
- Equation 1: x² = 7 => x = ±√7
- Equation 2: x² = 5 => x = ±√5
4. Final Solution
The solutions to the equation (x² - 7)² + 2x² - 14 = 0 are:
x = √7, x = -√7, x = √5, x = -√5