Posted by Denis Borris on October 26, 2002 at 18:10:06:
In Reply to: Re: taking it a step further.... posted by T.Gracken on October 26, 2002 at 08:05:57:
: perhaps it is because some of us want to know all four solutions; real, complex, rational, integer, et.al.
the 4 solutions:
x^4 - x^3 + 18(x^2) - 16x + 96 = 0
(x^2 - 2x + 8)(x^2 + x + 12) = 0
x^2 - 2x + 8 = 0
x = {-(-2) + sqrt[(-2)^2 - 4(1)(8)]} / [2(1)] = 1 + i[sqrt(7)]
x = {-(-2) - sqrt[(-2)^2 - 4(1)(8)]} / [2(1)] = 1 - i[sqrt(7)]
x^2 + x + 12 = 0
x = {-1 + sqrt[1^2 - 4(1)(12)]} / [2(1)] = (1/2){-1 + i[sqrt(47)]}
x = {-1 - sqrt[1^2 - 4(1)(12)]} / [2(1)] = (1/2){-1 - i[sqrt(47)]}
Now WHO in hell would ever want to find this out?!
They're things I used to see after drinking a 40 of tequila straight :))