Question

sec^4x+secxtanx-2tan^4x
how on earth do you simplify that? i think you have to factor it but i dont know how
pleasee helpp

Answer 1

This will not factor as it is. If it is supposed to be\[\sec ^{4}x+\sec ^{2}xtan ^{2}x-2\tan ^{4}x\]then it will factor.

Answer 2

To make factoring easier substitute variables for the trig functions. For this one (as I wrote it), you could see if you can factor\[x ^{4}+x ^{2}y ^{2}-2y ^{4}\]