College

What substitution should be used to rewrite [tex]4x^4 - 21x^2 + 20 = 0[/tex] as a quadratic equation?

A. [tex]u = x^2[/tex]
B. [tex]u = 2x^2[/tex]
C. [tex]u = x^4[/tex]
D. [tex]u = 4x^4[/tex]

Answer :

To solve the equation [tex]\(4x^4 - 21x^2 + 20 = 0\)[/tex] by rewriting it as a quadratic equation, we can use a substitution method. Here are the step-by-step instructions for this process:

1. Consider a Substitution: We want to simplify the equation by substituting a variable for part of the expression. Let's set [tex]\( u = x^2 \)[/tex]. This means that wherever we see [tex]\( x^2 \)[/tex] in the equation, we will replace it with [tex]\( u \)[/tex].

2. Express Higher Powers in Terms of [tex]\( u \)[/tex]: Since [tex]\( u = x^2 \)[/tex], then [tex]\( x^4 = (x^2)^2 = u^2 \)[/tex]. This allows us to express [tex]\( 4x^4 \)[/tex] as [tex]\( 4u^2 \)[/tex].

3. Rewrite the Original Equation: Substitute the expressions in terms of [tex]\( u \)[/tex] into the original equation:
- Original: [tex]\( 4x^4 - 21x^2 + 20 = 0 \)[/tex]
- Substitute: [tex]\( 4u^2 - 21u + 20 = 0 \)[/tex]

4. Recognize the Quadratic Form: Now, the equation [tex]\( 4u^2 - 21u + 20 = 0 \)[/tex] is a quadratic equation in the variable [tex]\( u \)[/tex].

By using the substitution [tex]\( u = x^2 \)[/tex], we successfully transformed the original equation into a quadratic form. This substitution simplifies solving the equation by an easier method, such as solving a standard quadratic equation.