Solve for a^4+b^4+c^4 Given a+b+c, a^2+b^2+c^2, and a^3+b^3+c^3

Published on July 24, 2026

Algebra

This problem requires finding the sum of fourth powers of three variables, given the sums of their first, second, and third powers. It is solved using Newton's sums and elementary symmetric polynomials.

Question

Answer

To solve the given problem, we are provided with a system of equations involving and :
We need to find the value of .

Step 1: Find the elementary symmetric polynomials

Let the elementary symmetric polynomials be:


From equation (1), we have:
Using the identity , we substitute the known values:



Next, we use the Newton’s Sum identity for :

Substitute the known values:




Step 2: Use Newton’s Sums to find

Let . Newton’s sums state that for :
For :
Substitute the values we have found:








Alternatively, we can use the identity:
is not correct, but we can use:

We need .
We know .



Now substitute back into the squared sum formula:


The value of is .