(y-1)^4 + (y+1)^4 = 16
Expand each term using the formula for the fourth power of a binomial:
(y-1)(y-1)(y-1)(y-1) + (y+1)(y+1)(y+1)(y+1) = 16(y^2 - 2y + 1)(y^2 - 2y + 1) + (y^2 + 2y + 1)(y^2 + 2y + 1) = 16(y^4 - 4y^3 + 6y^2 - 4y + 1) + (y^4 + 4y^3 + 6y^2 + 4y + 1) = 16
Combine like terms:
2y^4 + 12y^2 + 2 = 162y^4 + 12y^2 - 14 = 0
Divide the whole equation by 2 to simplify:
y^4 + 6y^2 - 7 = 0
Let x = y^2:
x^2 + 6x - 7 = 0
Now, solve this quadratic equation for x:
(x + 7)(x - 1) = 0x = -7 or x = 1
Since x = y^2:
y^2 = -7 or y^2 = 1
Taking the square root on each side:
y = √-7 (this has no real solution) or y = ±1
Therefore, the solutions to the equation are:
y = 1 or y = -1
(y-1)^4 + (y+1)^4 = 16
Expand each term using the formula for the fourth power of a binomial:
(y-1)(y-1)(y-1)(y-1) + (y+1)(y+1)(y+1)(y+1) = 16
(y^2 - 2y + 1)(y^2 - 2y + 1) + (y^2 + 2y + 1)(y^2 + 2y + 1) = 16
(y^4 - 4y^3 + 6y^2 - 4y + 1) + (y^4 + 4y^3 + 6y^2 + 4y + 1) = 16
Combine like terms:
2y^4 + 12y^2 + 2 = 16
2y^4 + 12y^2 - 14 = 0
Divide the whole equation by 2 to simplify:
y^4 + 6y^2 - 7 = 0
Let x = y^2:
x^2 + 6x - 7 = 0
Now, solve this quadratic equation for x:
(x + 7)(x - 1) = 0
x = -7 or x = 1
Since x = y^2:
y^2 = -7 or y^2 = 1
Taking the square root on each side:
y = √-7 (this has no real solution) or y = ±1
Therefore, the solutions to the equation are:
y = 1 or y = -1