Solving the Expression: (a+b+c)(b+c-a)(c+a-b)(a+b-c)
In this article, we will explore the solution to the expression (a+b+c)(b+c-a)(c+a-b)(a+b-c)
. This expression may seem complex at first, but with some algebraic manipulations, we can simplify it to a surprising result.
Step 1: Expanding the Expression
Let's start by expanding each of the factors in the expression:
(a+b+c)(b+c-a) = (a+b+c)(b+c-a) = ab + ac - a^2 + bc + c^2 - b^2
(c+a-b)(a+b-c) = (c+a-b)(a+b-c) = ac + a^2 - bc - c^2 + ab - b^2
Step 2: Multiplying the Expanded Factors
Now, let's multiply the expanded factors together:
(ab + ac - a^2 + bc + c^2 - b^2)(ac + a^2 - bc - c^2 + ab - b^2) = (ab + ac - a^2 + bc + c^2 - b^2)(ac) + (ab + ac - a^2 + bc + c^2 - b^2)(a^2) + ... = (a^2c + abc - a^3c + abc^2 + ac^3 - ab^2c) + (a^3c + a^2bc - a^4c + a^2bc^2 + a^3c^2 - a^3b^2c) + ... = a^4 - b^4 - c^4
The Final Answer
Simplifying the expression further, we get:
(a+b+c)(b+c-a)(c+a-b)(a+b-c) = a^4 - b^4 - c^4
This result is quite interesting, as it shows that the original complex expression can be reduced to a simple difference of fourth powers!
In conclusion, we have successfully solved the expression (a+b+c)(b+c-a)(c+a-b)(a+b-c)
and arrived at a surprising and elegant solution.