Solve x(x+1)^2=4

$$x ( x + 1 ) ^ { 2 } = 4$$

Solve for x (complex solution)

$$x=\frac{-\sqrt{7}i-3}{2}\approx -1.5-1.322875656i$$

$$x=1$$

$$x=\frac{-3+\sqrt{7}i}{2}\approx -1.5+1.322875656i$$

Solution Steps

Use binomial theorem \left(a+b\right)^{2}=a^{2}+2ab+b^{2} to expand \left(x+1\right)^{2}.

$$x\left(x^{2}+2x+1\right)=4$$

Use the distributive property to multiply x by x^{2}+2x+1.

$$x^{3}+2x^{2}+x=4$$

Subtract 4 from both sides.

$$x^{3}+2x^{2}+x-4=0$$

By Rational Root Theorem, all rational roots of a polynomial are in the form \frac{p}{q}, where p divides the constant term -4 and q divides the leading coefficient 1. List all candidates \frac{p}{q}.

$$±4,±2,±1$$

Find one such root by trying out all the integer values, starting from the smallest by absolute value. If no integer roots are found, try out fractions.

$$x=1$$

By Factor theorem, x-k is a factor of the polynomial for each root k. Divide x^{3}+2x^{2}+x-4 by x-1 to get x^{2}+3x+4. Solve the equation where the result equals to 0.

$$x^{2}+3x+4=0$$

All equations of the form ax^{2}+bx+c=0 can be solved using the quadratic formula: \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}. Substitute 1 for a, 3 for b, and 4 for c in the quadratic formula.

$$x=\frac{-3±\sqrt{3^{2}-4\times 1\times 4}}{2}$$

Do the calculations.

$$x=\frac{-3±\sqrt{-7}}{2}$$

Solve the equation x^{2}+3x+4=0 when ± is plus and when ± is minus.

$$x=\frac{-\sqrt{7}i-3}{2} x=\frac{-3+\sqrt{7}i}{2}$$

List all found solutions.

$$x=1 x=\frac{-\sqrt{7}i-3}{2} x=\frac{-3+\sqrt{7}i}{2}$$

Solve for x

$$x=1$$

Solution Steps

Use binomial theorem \left(a+b\right)^{2}=a^{2}+2ab+b^{2} to expand \left(x+1\right)^{2}.

$$x\left(x^{2}+2x+1\right)=4$$

Use the distributive property to multiply x by x^{2}+2x+1.

$$x^{3}+2x^{2}+x=4$$

Subtract 4 from both sides.

$$x^{3}+2x^{2}+x-4=0$$

By Rational Root Theorem, all rational roots of a polynomial are in the form \frac{p}{q}, where p divides the constant term -4 and q divides the leading coefficient 1. List all candidates \frac{p}{q}.

$$±4,±2,±1$$

Find one such root by trying out all the integer values, starting from the smallest by absolute value. If no integer roots are found, try out fractions.

$$x=1$$

By Factor theorem, x-k is a factor of the polynomial for each root k. Divide x^{3}+2x^{2}+x-4 by x-1 to get x^{2}+3x+4. Solve the equation where the result equals to 0.

$$x^{2}+3x+4=0$$

All equations of the form ax^{2}+bx+c=0 can be solved using the quadratic formula: \frac{-b±\sqrt{b^{2}-4ac}}{2a}. Substitute 1 for a, 3 for b, and 4 for c in the quadratic formula.

$$x=\frac{-3±\sqrt{3^{2}-4\times 1\times 4}}{2}$$

Do the calculations.

$$x=\frac{-3±\sqrt{-7}}{2}$$

Since the square root of a negative number is not defined in the real field, there are no solutions.

$$x\in \emptyset$$

List all found solutions.

$$x=1$$