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Further maths question help

How would I work this out

a^4 - 6a^2 + 1 = 0

Thanks for all the help please don't respond with only the answer show the working out as well

Reply 1

RDKGames

Study Forum Helper

Original post by Balkaran

How would I work this out

a^4 - 6a^2 + 1 = 0

Thanks for all the help please don't respond with only the answer show the working out as well

Let

b=a^2

and it becomes a very simple quadratic.

Reply 2

black1blade

Firstly it's a quadratic in disguise so you'd say x=a^2 so then you have a quadratic you can solve then you can square the answers from that quadratic. Have you done complex numbers yet?

Reply 3

CivAtCardiff

Original post by Balkaran

How would I work this out

a^4 - 6a^2 + 1 = 0

Thanks for all the help please don't respond with only the answer show the working out as well

Set x as a ^ 2 and solve as a quadratic of x^2 - 6x + 1 then solve x = a ^ 2 with your solutions of x.

hope that helps.

Reply 4

Balkaran

Original post by RDKGames

Let

b=a^2

and it becomes a very simple quadratic.

for b I got 3 +or- square root (8)
so a = +- square root ( 3 +- square root (8)) is that correct

Reply 5

RDKGames

Study Forum Helper

Original post by Balkaran

for b I got 3 +or- square root (8)
so a = +- square root ( 3 +- square root (8)) is that correct

Yep.

4 solutions to a quartic as expected

Reply 6

username3497946

It's late, so I do not trust myself go do the maths correctly but if it is any help the equation is a quadratic.

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Further maths question help

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