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x^4-17x^2+16=0 equation

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Numerical solution:

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The solution

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 4       2         
x  - 17*x  + 16 = 0
$$\left(x^{4} - 17 x^{2}\right) + 16 = 0$$
Detail solution
Given the equation:
$$\left(x^{4} - 17 x^{2}\right) + 16 = 0$$
Do replacement
$$v = x^{2}$$
then the equation will be the:
$$v^{2} - 17 v + 16 = 0$$
This equation is of the form
a*v^2 + b*v + c = 0

A quadratic equation can be solved
using the discriminant.
The roots of the quadratic equation:
$$v_{1} = \frac{\sqrt{D} - b}{2 a}$$
$$v_{2} = \frac{- \sqrt{D} - b}{2 a}$$
where D = b^2 - 4*a*c - it is the discriminant.
Because
$$a = 1$$
$$b = -17$$
$$c = 16$$
, then
D = b^2 - 4 * a * c = 

(-17)^2 - 4 * (1) * (16) = 225

Because D > 0, then the equation has two roots.
v1 = (-b + sqrt(D)) / (2*a)

v2 = (-b - sqrt(D)) / (2*a)

or
$$v_{1} = 16$$
$$v_{2} = 1$$
The final answer:
Because
$$v = x^{2}$$
then
$$x_{1} = \sqrt{v_{1}}$$
$$x_{2} = - \sqrt{v_{1}}$$
$$x_{3} = \sqrt{v_{2}}$$
$$x_{4} = - \sqrt{v_{2}}$$
then:
$$x_{1} = $$
$$\frac{0}{1} + \frac{16^{\frac{1}{2}}}{1} = 4$$
$$x_{2} = $$
$$\frac{\left(-1\right) 16^{\frac{1}{2}}}{1} + \frac{0}{1} = -4$$
$$x_{3} = $$
$$\frac{0}{1} + \frac{1^{\frac{1}{2}}}{1} = 1$$
$$x_{4} = $$
$$\frac{\left(-1\right) 1^{\frac{1}{2}}}{1} + \frac{0}{1} = -1$$
Sum and product of roots [src]
sum
-4 - 1 + 1 + 4
$$\left(\left(-4 - 1\right) + 1\right) + 4$$
=
0
$$0$$
product
-4*(-1)*4
$$4 \left(- -4\right)$$
=
16
$$16$$
16
Rapid solution [src]
x1 = -4
$$x_{1} = -4$$
x2 = -1
$$x_{2} = -1$$
x3 = 1
$$x_{3} = 1$$
x4 = 4
$$x_{4} = 4$$
x4 = 4
Numerical answer [src]
x1 = 1.0
x2 = 4.0
x3 = -1.0
x4 = -4.0
x4 = -4.0