Need to solve for x a^2(a-x)=b^2(b-x)-2abx

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madameclaws

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Jun 9, 2007
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I am having a hard time with this equation a^2(a-x)=b^2(b-x)-2abx.
I start out by multiplying out the a^2 and the b^2.
a^3-a^2x=b^3-b^2x-2abx
and this is where I get stuck because I try to group like terms, and I just cannot seem to isolate x for the life of me.

The book's answer is: x= a^2+b^2+ab/a-b

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks! :(
 
No worries. We're all learning.

Did you look at the link provided here?
 
Oh! I didn't see that. I dídn't know that these sites were linked together. I was trying different sites to see if I could get an answer.
Anyways, thank you so much.
I tried what you said with x(-a^2-b^2+2ab)=b^3-a^3, and I have also gotten stuck here as well.
What do I do from here?
 
They're not linked in any formal way. Many of the same people look at many different sites. It is VERY frustrating to see a question answered on one site, only to find that it has been answered already on another. It takes volunteers' time to do this. We don't like to waste the time of volunteers.

By the way, Welcome. Let's learn some math.
 
Consider it in two cases:

1. \(\displaystyle \L\ a = b\), \(\displaystyle \L\ x \in\ C\)
2. \(\displaystyle \L\ a \not=\ b\). Your book's answer only applies for this case.
 
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