How do I solve this?

[delicate yew]

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[shell pulsar]

is that your working?

[limber seal]

What working?

[shell pulsar]

the picture you sent

[limber seal]

Yes

It's school hw

[shell pulsar]

why dont you factorize $x^4-\frac{1}{x^4}$ first?

[manic crystal]

dark matter

[shell pulsar]

see where that leads you

[limber seal]

I did

But I get stuck

[shell pulsar]

what did you get for the factorization?

[shell pulsar]

?

[limber seal]

I got stuck here

[shell pulsar]

okay, lets factorize it a different way

[limber seal]

Okk

[shell pulsar]

lets use difference of squares

try factorizing it that way

[limber seal]

This way right?

[shell pulsar]

yes

which is $(x-\frac{1}{x})(x+\frac{1}{x})(x^2+\frac{1}{x^2})$

[manic crystal]

dark matter

[limber seal]

Man, i never thought of a^2 - b^2

I should've thought of that earlier

[shell pulsar]

well, here we still need x-1/x

do you know how to get this or do you still need help?

[limber seal]

I still need help

[shell pulsar]

ok

[limber seal]

Do I factorize

x2 + 1/x2?

[shell pulsar]

no, keep it as is, becuase you can get that result

(i’m actually a bit stuck on how to get x-1/x but i think it’s manageable)

[limber seal]

Unrelated question but
How do I get good at maths?

[shell pulsar]

practice

and lots of books

[limber seal]

That all?

[shell pulsar]

once you get to higher level of maths you need textbooks

[limber seal]

School text books won't do?

[shell pulsar]

yes

probably get ones on your own or find good resources

i’ve used khan academy (not a textbook) for self-studying

[limber seal]

Oh, thanks

[shell pulsar]

yeah

let me get a piece of paper to see if i can’t get x-1/x

[limber seal]

What next?

[limber seal]

All right

[shell pulsar]

,rotate

[shell pulsar]

do you know how to get x^2+1/x^2

[limber seal]

No

[shell pulsar]

ok

square both sides of the given equation $x+\frac{1}{x}=3$

[manic crystal]

dark matter

[limber seal]

,rotate

[shell pulsar]

square

and also you didnt square correctly

[limber seal]

I did the opposite on both sides

[shell pulsar]

?

[limber seal]

Wait

Now it's Ok

I'm sorry if I'm being dumb

I'm doing math after a long time

[shell pulsar]

its alright

uhh

recall that (a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2

[shell pulsar]

ok you're on the right track

[limber seal]

Yay

[shell pulsar]

but we have $\left(x+\frac{1}{x}\right)=3\implies\left(x+\frac{1}{x}\right)^2=9$

[manic crystal]

dark matter

[shell pulsar]

see where im going?

expand left side and you get your value of x^2+1/x^2

[limber seal]

Expand left side?