You can
put this solution on YOUR website!Hi I'm an older student and I have a problem I don't
understand. How would you solve polynomials by factoring?
This is the problem: 2x^4=16x^2. Thank You
2x4 = 16x2
First observe that both sides can be divided by 2. So we
can make it simpler by dividing both sides by 2
x4 = 8x2
Get zero on the right side:
x4 - 8x2 = 0
Factor out x2 on the left side:
x2(x2 - 8) = 0
Set each of these factor = 0 separately and solve:
Setting first factor = 0
x2 = 0
x = 0
Setting second factor = 0
x2 - 8 = 0
x2 = 8
Take square roots of both sides
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` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` x = ±
Ö8
Simplify radical:` ` ` ` `___
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` x = ±
Ö4·2
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` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` x = ±
Ö4·
Ö2
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` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` x = ±2
Ö2
`
Edwin
J
