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Steps to solve this system of equations

During the flight from Moscow to Yerevan my neighbor gave me the following problem:

Solve the system:

$$\left\{\begin{array}{c}x^2+y=7 \\ y^2+x=11. \end{array}\right.$$

It is easy to find 1 of the 4 solutions. Is there a beautiful way to find the other three?

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    [Doesn't seem so](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x%5E4-14+x%5E2%2Bx%2B38+%3D+0) - press 'Exact forms' to see analytical solution. Back in Russia, I was told of a similar problem $$ \begin{cases} x^2+y &= 35, \\ x+y^2 &= 105 \end{cases} $$ with a nice solution $x=5,y = 10$, but [others appeared to be hard to find](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x%5E4+-+70+x%5E2+%2B+35%5E2+-+105%2B+x+%3D+0) Anyway, I'm interested in ways to solve these problems with using Cardano's formulae2012-05-14
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    Are these supposed to be integer solutions? The system itself looks like it describes a circle.2012-05-14
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    Ilya, i hope for some beautiful trick to solve this _without_ Cardano's formulae.2012-05-14
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    chris, there is one integer solution and three irrational solutions. I wonder whether there is a beautiful way to find these three solutions.2012-05-14
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    The integral solution is $x=2,y=3$2012-05-14
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    You get an irreducible cubic. The solutions to an irreducible cubic are guaranteed to be messy. There can't be a beautiful way to find ugly solutions.2012-05-14
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    @Roah: oh, of course, without Cardano's formulae2012-05-14
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    @Aryabhata, yes, one of the posted approaches to that earlier question leads exactly to the current problem.2012-05-15
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    @GerryMyerson: Ok, I have cast my vote too.2012-05-15
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    Exact duplicate... So it seems that this is a folklore problem. I accept the answer of Americo Tavares. However i believe that there is some beautiful way to represent a messy solution and to find it in this particular case without the use of Cardano's formula.2012-05-16

2 Answers 2

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Every solution of the given system

$$\left\{ \begin{array}{c} x^{2}+y=7 \\ y^{2}+x=11 \end{array} \right. \tag{0}$$

is a solution of

$$\left\{ \begin{array}{c} \left( y-3\right) \left( y^{3}+3y^{2}-13y-38\right) =0 \\ x^{2}=121-22y^{2}+y^{4}. \end{array}\tag{1} \right. $$

The same applies to the system

$$\left\{ \begin{array}{c} y^{2}=49-14x^{2}+x^{4} \\ \left( x-2\right) \left( x^{3}+2x^{2}-10x-19\right) =0. \end{array}\tag{2} \right. $$

The integral solution of $(0)$ is $\left( x_{0},y_{0}\right) =\left( 2,3\right) $. Simple ways to find the remaining solutions are only possible in particular cases, as far as I know. The standard way to solve a cubic equation such as

$$y^{3}+3y^{2}-13y-38=0\tag{3}$$

is to make the change of variables $$y=s-\dfrac{3}{3\cdot 1}=s-1\tag{3a}$$ to get the reduced cubic equation

$$s^{3}-16s-23=0.\tag{4}$$

If the discriminant $q^{2}+\frac{4p^{3}}{27}$ of an equation of the form $s^3+px+q=0$ is negative, its three solutions are real numbers. In this case we have $q^{2}+\frac{4p^{3}}{27}=23^{2}-\frac{4\times 16^{3}}{27}<0$ and the solutions of $(4)$ can be written in the trigonometric form$^{1}$

$$s_{k}=2\sqrt{\frac{16}{3}}\cos \left( \frac{1}{3}\arccos \left( \frac{23}{2}\sqrt{\frac{27}{16^{3}}}\right) +\frac{2\left( k-1\right) \pi }{3}\right),\tag{5}$$

with $k=1,2,3$. So $$y_{k}=s_{k}-1\tag{6}$$ and

$$x_{k}=11-y_{k}^2.\tag{7}$$

For $k=1$, we get $\left( x_{1},y_{1}\right) \approx \left( -1.8479,3.5844\right) $. And similarly for $k=2$ and $k=3$.

--

$^{1}$A deduction can be found in this Portuguese post of mine.

Added. If $\Delta =q^{2}+\frac{4p^{3}}{27}<0$ the three real solutions of the following reduced cubic equation

$$t^{3}+pt+q=0\tag{A}$$

are given by

$$t_{k}=2\sqrt{-\frac{p}{3}}\cos \left( \frac{1}{3}\arccos \left( -\frac{q}{2}\sqrt{-\frac{27}{p^{3}}}\right) +\frac{2\left( k-1\right) \pi }{3}\right) \tag{B},$$

with $k=1,2,3$.

PS. I do not find trigonometric functions nor radicals ugly. But this is just an opinion.

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    Thanks for the detailed solution, but this is not exactly what i am searching for. This is a standard trigonometric substituion. I am in a quest for the solution "from the book" particularly tailored for this problem. I expect an answer in a much simplier form. If it will not be found in two weeks i will accept you answer as a final one.2012-05-14
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    @Roah Thanks! Do you mean an answer not in terms of radicals nor in terms of trigonometric functions?2012-05-14
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    Given how ugly the answer is, do you really expect there's a nicer way to get to it?2012-05-14
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    @GerryMyerson Your comment is to OP, isn't it?2012-05-14
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    Yes (sorry, should have made that clear).2012-05-14
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    @GerryMyerson Never mind! I've understood it.2012-05-14
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    @GerryMyerson I think that the answer has a simplier form. I believe the answer looks ugly because of the use of trigonometric form. I clearly understand that the answer is irrational and i've solved the problem using Cardano's approach to the end of the flight. My neighbor just said it is "wrong approach".2012-05-14
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    I got a downvote. It might be that the downvoter considered my solution an ugly one or that it's not correct or detailed enough. To me this solution is not ugly. I do not find trigonometric functions (nor radicals) ugly. But this is merely a question of opinion.2012-05-14
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    @AméricoTavares: I'm sorry to hear about downvoters again. Please take my upvote for a nice answer - maybe it will balance away that downvote!2012-05-14
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    @Ilya: Many thanks!2012-05-14
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    Roah, you keep saying you think there's a simpler (note spelling) form, but it's an irreducible cubic and the solution is what it is, whether you use Cardano or trig functions. Time to give it up!2012-05-15
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This is maybe a half solution, maybe less. I tried several things and maybe these ideas inspire someone to write a complete solution.

Note that the intersection points lie on the circle of the form

$$\left(x+\frac12\right)^2+\left(y+\frac12\right)^2=\frac{37}{2}$$

This follows from a general theorem on the intersections of two parabolas with orthogonal axes of symmetry.

Now there are so many theorems on cyclic quadrilaterals and even some statements on a parabola passing through the four corners. Then the given point $(2,3)$ should give some additional information. But I couldn't find a concise way of finishing this.

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    You can also get this equation by adding the two given ones and completing the squares. No beautiful conic theorems needed.2012-05-14
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    Yeah sure, the formula is not hard to find. I just think that this approach might eventually give a really nice representation of the four points. In the end there are explicit formulas for all four points just depending on three angles. Then there are planty of relations between many of the involved line segments. And also the symmetry axis of the parabola is somehow related to some of those segments. I think there is even a transformation which breaks down to reflection at some circle which gives some sort of normal form... I just couldn't put the pieces together.2012-05-14
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    Since this answer already got six upvotes even though it doesn't show anything, I am trying to improve it. If anyone has any input please tell me!2012-05-14