Chapter 1: Problem 47
Find the real solutions of each equation. $$ x^{6}+7 x^{3}-8=0 $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The real solutions are x = 1 and x = -2.
Step by step solution
01
- Identify a substitution
Notice that the equation can be simplified using a substitution. Let’s set: y = x^3This transforms the original equation into a quadratic form.
02
- Substitute and simplify
Substitute y = x^3 into the given equation: y^2 + 7y - 8 = 0Now, solve the quadratic equation.
03
- Solve the quadratic equation
Factorize the quadratic equation: y^2 + 7y - 8 = 0 y^2 + 8y - y - 8 = 0 y(y + 8) - 1(y + 8) = 0 y = 1 or y = -8
04
- Substitute back to original variable
Substitute back y = x^3: x^3 = 1 or x^3 = -8
05
- Find the real solutions
Solve for x: x^3 = 1 gives x = 1 x^3 = -8 gives x = -2
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Polynomial Substitution
Polynomial substitution is a useful technique for simplifying complex polynomial equations. It involves replacing a part of the polynomial with a new variable, making it easier to solve. For example, in the equation \(x^{6} + 7x^{3} - 8 = 0\), we notice that the term \(x^{6}\) can be expressed as \((x^{3})^{2}\). By setting \(y = x^{3}\), the original equation simplifies to \(y^{2} + 7y - 8 = 0\). This transformation makes the polynomial easier to handle, as we convert it into a quadratic form, which is simpler to solve.
Quadratic Equation
A quadratic equation is a second-degree polynomial equation of the form \(ax^{2} + bx + c = 0\). In our simplified equation, \(y^{2} + 7y - 8 = 0\), the coefficients are:
- a = 1
- b = 7
- c = -8
Real Solutions
Real solutions are the values of the variable that satisfy the equation and are real numbers (not imaginary or complex numbers). After simplifying our polynomial to a quadratic equation, we found the solutions to be \(y = 1\) and \(y = -8\). Since \(y\) represents \(x^{3}\), we then need to solve \(x^{3} = 1\) and \(x^{3} = -8\) to find the real solutions. For \(x^{3} = 1\), the real solution is \(x = 1\). For \(x^{3} = -8\), the real solution is \(x = -2\). Thus, the real solutions to the original equation \(x^{6} + 7x^{3} - 8 = 0\) are \(x = 1\) and \(x = -2\).
Factoring
Factoring is the process of breaking down a polynomial into simpler polynomials that, when multiplied together, give the original polynomial. For the quadratic equation \(y^{2} + 7y - 8 = 0\), we factorize it by expressing it as a product of two binomials: \(y^{2} + 7y - 8 = (y + 8)(y - 1) = 0\). Setting each factor equal to zero gives us the solutions:
- \(y + 8 = 0 \) thus \( y = -8 \)
- \(y - 1 = 0 \) thus \( y = 1 \)