Solution - Factoring binomials using the difference of squares

Reformatting the input :

Changes made to your input should not affect the solution:

 (1): "x6"   was replaced by   "x^6". 

Step by step solution :

Step  1  :

Equation at the end of step  1  :

  (x2) -  7x6  = 0 
 Step  2  :
 Step  3  :

Pulling out like terms :

 3.1     Pull out like factors :

   x² - 7x⁶  =   -x² • (7x⁴ - 1) 

Trying to factor as a Difference of Squares :

 3.2      Factoring:  7x⁴ - 1 

Theory : A difference of two perfect squares,  A² - B²  can be factored into  (A+B) • (A-B)

Proof :  (A+B) • (A-B) =
         A² - AB + BA - B² =
         A² - AB + AB - B² =
         A² - B²

Note :  AB = BA is the commutative property of multiplication.

Note :  - AB + AB equals zero and is therefore eliminated from the expression.

Check :  7  is not a square !!

Ruling : Binomial can not be factored as the
difference of two perfect squares

Polynomial Roots Calculator :

 3.3    Find roots (zeroes) of :       F(x) = 7x⁴ - 1
Polynomial Roots Calculator is a set of methods aimed at finding values of  x  for which   F(x)=0  

Rational Roots Test is one of the above mentioned tools. It would only find Rational Roots that is numbers  x  which can be expressed as the quotient of two integers

The Rational Root Theorem states that if a polynomial zeroes for a rational number  P/Q   then  P  is a factor of the Trailing Constant and  Q  is a factor of the Leading Coefficient

In this case, the Leading Coefficient is  7  and the Trailing Constant is  -1.

 The factor(s) are:

of the Leading Coefficient :  1,7
 of the Trailing Constant :  1

 Let us test ....

Polynomial Roots Calculator found no rational roots

Equation at the end of step  3  :

  -x2 • (7x4 - 1)  = 0 

Step  4  :

Theory - Roots of a product :

 4.1    A product of several terms equals zero. 

 When a product of two or more terms equals zero, then at least one of the terms must be zero. 

 We shall now solve each term = 0 separately 

 In other words, we are going to solve as many equations as there are terms in the product 

 Any solution of term = 0 solves product = 0 as well.

Solving a Single Variable Equation :

 4.2      Solve  :    -x² = 0 

 Multiply both sides of the equation by (-1) :  x² = 0


 
 When two things are equal, their square roots are equal. Taking the square root of the two sides of the equation we get:  
                      x  =  ± √ 0  

 Any root of zero is zero. This equation has one solution which is  x = 0

Solving a Single Variable Equation :

 4.3      Solve  :    7x⁴-1 = 0 

 Add  1  to both sides of the equation : 
                      7x⁴ = 1
Divide both sides of the equation by 7:
                     x⁴ = 1/7 = 0.143
                     x  =  ∜ 1/7  

 The equation has two real solutions  
 These solutions are  x = ∜ 0.143 = ± 0.61479  
 

Three solutions were found :

1.  x = ∜ 0.143 = ± 0.61479
2.  x = 0