How would you solve polynomial equation for, a to the 8th power minus a to the 2nd power and b to the 6th power?

you mention no equation, but if it is

a^8 - a^2b^6 = 0

then

a^2(a^6-b^6) = 0
a^2(a^2-b^2)(a^4+a^2b^2+b^4) = 0

so, a=0
or a = ±b
or a^2 = (-b^2 ± √(b^4 - 4a^4b^4))/2
= (-b^2 ± b^2√(1-4a^4))/2
= -b^2/2 (1 ± √(1-4a^4))

To solve the polynomial equation for \(a^8 - a^2 + b^6\), we need to set the expression equal to zero and find the values of \(a\) and \(b\) that satisfy the equation. However, please note that this equation is not easily solvable for \(a\) and \(b\) unless we have additional information or constraints.

In general, to solve polynomial equations, we follow these steps:

Step 1: Set the equation equal to zero:
\(a^8 - a^2 + b^6 = 0\)

Step 2: Factor the expression, if possible:
In this case, the expression cannot be easily factored.

Step 3: Use numerical methods:
Since there is no simple factoring technique available, we can use numerical methods. These methods involve approximating the solutions by iteration or using a computer algorithm.

For example, one numerical method is to use a root-finding algorithm, like Newton's method or the bisection method. These algorithms can iteratively find solutions to equations by narrowing down the possible range of \(a\) and \(b\) until a close approximation is achieved.

Another approach, if you are using a computer program or software like Python, is to utilize numerical solvers or root-finding functions, such as the np.roots function in NumPy or the solve function in sympy. These functions can compute an approximation for the roots of the equation.

However, please note that without additional information or constraints, it is impossible to determine a specific solution to the equation \(a^8 - a^2 + b^6 = 0\). The solutions can only be approximated using numerical methods.