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I am trying to solve the following equation, but I have no idea where to start. Can somebody point me in the right direction? ...well, if somebody knows how to solve it that would be great, otherwise hints would be great.$\ h=\left(\dfrac{a+bx^2}{cx}\right)\left(\dfrac{d+fx^2}{gx}\right)\left(\left(\dfrac{a+bx^2}{cx}\right)\left(\dfrac{d+fx^2}{gx}\right)+i\right)-\left(\dfrac{a+bx^2}{cx}\right)^2-\left(\dfrac{d+fx^2}{gx}\right)^2 $

I need to solve for x, where all other variables are known. I would also like to point out I can use a computer to help if that is necessary.

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    I up-voted this question late (very late, lol) because I feel it does qualify as very appropriate for the question format of this site. I had forgot to upvote it beforehand, lol.2012-01-23

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Let there be the following substitutions: $\begin{align} &w=x^2 &\\ &u=a+bw &j=d+fw \end{align}$ The equation reduces to: $\begin{align} h&=\frac{u}{cx}\frac{j}{gx}\left(\frac{u}{cx}\frac{j}{gx}+i\right)-\left(\frac{u}{cx}\right)^2-\left(\frac{j}{gx}\right)^2\\ &=\left(\frac{uj}{cgx^2}\right)^2+\frac{uj}{cgx^2}i-\left(\frac{u}{cx}\right)^2-\left(\frac{j}{gx}\right)^2 \end{align}$ Because of my slight dislike of fractional powers (I did not sub in $w^{\frac{1}{2}}$ for $x$), we can recall what $w$ is and restate the equation: $h=\frac{u^2j^2}{c^2g^2w^2}+\frac{uj}{cgw}i-\frac{u^2}{c^2w}-\frac{j^2}{g^2w}$ Getting a polynomial in $w$ seems to be the most enlightening exercise, so multiply through by $w^2$: $hw^2=\frac{u^2j^2}{c^2g^2}+\frac{uj}{cg}iw-\frac{u^2}{c^2}w-\frac{j^2}{g^2}w$ Rearranging this gives us a cleaner expression: $-hw^2-\left(\frac{u^2}{c^2}+\frac{j^2}{g^2}\right)w+\frac{uj}{cg}iw+\frac{u^2j^2}{c^2g^2}=0$ Things will be slightly simpler if we multiply through by $c^2g^2$: $-hc^2g^2w^2-(u^2g^2+j^2c^2)w+ujcgwi+u^2j^2=0$ Since $uj$, $u^2$, $j^2$ and $u^2j^2$ are the important things in the equation, let's simplify them: $\begin{align} uj&=(a+bw)(d+fw)\\ &=bfw^2+(af+bd)w+ad\\ u^2&=(a+bw)^2\\ &=b^2w^2+2abw+a^2\\ j^2&=(d+fw)^2\\ &=f^2w^2+2dfw+d^2\\ u^2j^2&=(b^2w^2+2abw+a^2)(f^2w^2+2dfw+d^2)\\ &=(b^2f^2)w^4+(2abf^2+2b^2df)w^3+(a^2f^2+b^2d^2+4abdf)w^2+(2a^2df+2abd^2)w+(a^2d^2) \end{align} $ It may help to work $u^2j^2$ with the following substitutions in mind: $\begin{align} &\alpha_{2}=b^2 &\alpha_{1}=2ab &\alpha_{0}=a^2\\ &\beta_{2}=f^2 &\beta_{1}=2df &\alpha_{0}=d^2 \end{align}$ The equivalent equation is, thusly: $u^2j^2=\alpha_2 \beta_2 w^4+(\alpha_1 \beta_{2}+\alpha_{2} \beta_{1})w^3+(\alpha_0 \beta_2+\alpha_1 \beta_1+\alpha_2 \beta_0)w^2+(\alpha_0 \beta_1+\alpha_1 \beta_0)w+(\alpha_0 \beta_0)$ It is now a task of digging through this algebra to separate the terms. . . Firstly, look at the 2nd coefficient: $\begin{align} u^2g^2+j^2c^2&=(b^2w^2+2abw+a^2)g^2+(f^2w^2+2dfw+d^2)c^2\\ &=(b^2g^2+f^2c^2)w^2+(2abg^2+2dfc^2)w+(a^2g^2+d^2c^2) \end{align}$ Next, look at the third term: $\begin{align} ujcgwi&=[bfw^2+(af+bd)w+ad]cgwi\\ &=(bfcgi)w^3+(afcgi+bdcgi)w^2+(adcgi)w \end{align}$ Now, combining all of these forms is the nearly final step (Let the equation be abbreviated with an E): $ \begin{align} E&=-hc^2g^2w^2-((b^2g^2+f^2c^2)w^2+(2abg^2+2dfc^2)w+(a^2g^2+d^2c^2))w\\ &+(bfcgi)w^3+(afcgi+bdcgi)w^2+(adcgi)w\\ &+(b^2f^2)w^4+(2abf^2+2b^2df)w^3\\ &+(a^2f^2+b^2d^2+4abdf)w^2+(2a^2df+2abd^2)w+(a^2d^2)\\ &=(b^2f^2)w^4\\ &+(2abf^2+2b^2df)w^3-(b^2g^2+f^2c^2)w^3++(bfcgi)w^3\\ &+(a^2f^2+b^2d^2+4abdf)w^2-(2abg^2+2dfc^2)w^2+(afcgi+bdcgi)w^2-(hc^2g^2)w^2\\ &-(a^2g^2+d^2c^2)w+(2a^2df+2abd^2)w+(adcgi)w\\ &+a^2d^2 \end{align} $ This shows us that the coefficients of the terms are as follows: $ \begin{align} C_4&=b^2f^2\\ C_3&=2abf^2+2b^2df-b^2g^2-f^2c^2+bfcgi\\ C_2&=a^2f^2+b^2d^2+4abdf-2abg^2-2dfc^2+afcgi+bdcgi-hc^2g^2\\ C_1&=-a^2g^2-d^2c^2+2a^2df+2abd^2+adcgi\\ C_0&=a^2d^2 \end{align} $

Thus, we have the following quartic in $w$: $C_4w^4+C_3w^3+C_2w^2+C_1w+C_0=0$

I leave the rest as an exercise to the reader. . .

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    You are most certainly right. I have corrected it accordingly. :) While you thank me for solving this, I have to say thanks to you: It's always a joy to have a fun problem.2012-01-26
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Multiply both sides by $(cgx^2)^2$,

$h (c g x^2)^2 = (a+bx^2)(d+fx^2)\left( (a+bx^2)(d+fx^2)+i (c g x^2)\right)-(a+bx^2)^2(gx)^2-(d+fx^2)^2(cx)^2$

One can see this is merely a quartic equation in $x^2$. There is an analytic expression for x using the quartic formula, but it would be very messy.

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    Thanks, I'll go through it, but I'm not sure I would know how to proceed from here :)2012-01-23