How do you find the complex roots of x^4-10x^2+9=0x410x2+9=0?

1 Answer
Jan 10, 2017

The roots are +-3±3 and +-1±1

Explanation:

Note that 9+1 = 109+1=10 and 9*1 = 991=9.

Hence we find:

0 = x^4-10x^2+90=x410x2+9

color(white)(0) = (x^2-9)(x^2-1)0=(x29)(x21)

color(white)(0) = (x^2-3^2)(x^2-1^2)0=(x232)(x212)

color(white)(0) = (x-3)(x+3)(x-1)(x+1)0=(x3)(x+3)(x1)(x+1)

So the four roots of this quartic equation are +-3±3 and +-1±1

These are Real numbers, but any Real number is also a Complex number (of the form a+0ia+0i if you wish).