Question 588089:  Problem:  Find the inverse of  .
 
I've fought the good fight, working on this on and off for two weeks.
 
Status:
 
For x^2 + x^1/2 = y, the equivalent is x = x^4 - 2x^2y + y^4.  I cannot figure out what algebraic manipulative trick(s) to use to separate x, and render it as ONE X term in terms of y. [x = f(y)]  Do you have a bag of such applicable tricks?
 
Since I can't manage that, here's another approach:
 
x^1/2 = y - x^2   and -(x^1/2) = X^2 - y.
 
While x^1/2 is not = -(x^1/2), (x^1/2)^2 = x and [-(x^1/2)]^2 = x.
 
Therefore:  x = (y - x^2)^2  and x = (x^2-y)^2.
 
Now take the square root of each of the above:
 
x^1/2 = y - x^2        and x^1/2 = x^2 - y. 
 
(Of course, the sq rts can also have a "-" sign.)  
 
Therefore:  y - x^2 = x^2 - y.
 
Is my logic correct so far?
 
 
 
(HOWEVER, in the expression above, let x = 1, and y>1.  
 
If y = 4, 4 - 1 NOT = 1 - 4.)
 
  
 
 
 
In any event, if my logic holds up, it seems that I can write:
 
-2x^2 = -2y            AND       2x^2 = 2y.
 
Each of these is a quadratic.  So, it seems that I should be able to use
 
ax^2 + bx + c = (d)y
 
 
inputing known values of x and y  [x = 1, y = 2;   x = 4, y = 18], and come up with a specific quadratic equation of some form of:
 
 x = -b/2a +/- [(sqrt b^2 + y - 4ac)/2a]
 
I'll leave it at that.  Thanks so much.  Cheers! 
 
 Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! Problem: Find the inverse of   
: 
You seem to have exhausted the usual methods, so I tried this approach 
I don't think there is an inverse, anyway 
The table for the original equation 
 x | y 
------- 
 1 | 2 
 4 |18 
 9 |84 
: 
Swapping x & y 
 x | y 
------- 
 2 | 1 
18 | 4 
84 | 9 
After some tedious math, solving for a, b, c in the y = ax^2+bx+c, I came up with an even more tedious equation 
y = -.005452x^2 + .4952x + .5759 
A graph kind of shows an inverse, but negative value probably make it invalid 
plus the quadratic equation will curve back towards 0 
  
: 
After I finished this I thought it was kind of silly, and was not going to bother sending it, but you can just toss in the usual place of rejected stuff.  
C 
  | 
 
  
 
 |   
 
 |