The problem involves proving a relationship between two real numbers, x and y, under the condition that x² - 4x = y² - 4y and x is not equal to y. The original poster seeks to establish whether x + y can be shown to equal 4 based on these conditions.
The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing different approaches and clarifications. There is no explicit consensus on the next steps, but some guidance has been offered regarding manipulating the equation.
The original poster's attempts indicate a struggle with the implications of the given conditions, particularly the assumption that x is not equal to y. The nature of the problem suggests that there may be constraints or specific interpretations of the equality that need to be explored further.
Dick, I think you mean "move all the squared terms to one side."Dick said:Move all the terms to one side. x^2-y^2=(x+y)(x-y). Factor out an (x-y).
Mark44 said:Dick, I think you mean "move all the squared terms to one side."