My Math Forum help!...I'm totally stuck solving for 'a'....

 Algebra Pre-Algebra and Basic Algebra Math Forum

 November 14th, 2010, 04:59 PM #1 Newbie   Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 help!...I'm totally stuck solving for 'a'.... Hi. I have reduced a big set of formulas down to this final bit, but I have no idea how to take it further. Can anyone help? Thank you so much in advance. Solve for 'a'.... d = a^4 - a^6/b^2
 November 15th, 2010, 03:03 AM #2 Senior Member   Joined: Nov 2010 From: Staten Island, NY Posts: 152 Thanks: 0 Re: help!...I'm totally stuck solving for 'a'.... $d= a^4 - a^6/b^2$ Multiply both sides by $b^2$ and bring everything to the left to get $a^6 - b^2a^4 + db^2= 0$ Make the substitution $u= a^2$ to get $u^3 - b^2u^2 + db^2= 0$ Now you can use the cubic formula to solve for u, from which it is easy to find a.
 November 15th, 2010, 02:41 PM #3 Newbie   Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Re: help!...I'm totally stuck solving for 'a'.... Hey....thanks!!!! That's perfect. I really learned something new over the last FIVE hours! (studying the cubic formula). But then I found a calculator online to speed things up just a tiny bit... http://www.1728.com/cubic.htm Thanks for all the help.

 Tags helpim, solving, stuck, totally

 Thread Tools Display Modes Linear Mode

 Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post rayman Abstract Algebra 4 March 11th, 2014 07:11 AM amit28it Linear Algebra 0 November 17th, 2011 09:55 PM a2usmani Computer Science 17 September 21st, 2010 10:48 PM DMan Algebra 3 August 1st, 2008 10:38 AM lenfromkits Abstract Algebra 2 December 31st, 1969 04:00 PM

 Contact - Home - Forums - Cryptocurrency Forum - Top