The polynomial ax^4+bx^3+1=0 is divisible by x^2-2x+1. What are the numbers a and b?

Since the polynomial P(x)=ax^4 + bx^3 + 1 is divisible by
x^2 - 2x + 1, then P(x1)=0 and P(x2)=0, where x1 and x2 are the roots of x^2 - 2x +
1=0.

Since x^2 - 2x + 1 is a perfect square, then x1 = x2 =
1.

We notice that the root x = 1 has the order of
multiplicity of 2.

Therefore, the derivative of the
polynomial P'(x), at the value x = 1, is cancelling.

P'(1)
= 0

We'll re-write the
conditions:

P(1) = 0 <=> a + b + 1 = 0
=> a = -b - 1 (1)

P'(1) = 0 <=> 4a +
3b = 0 (2)

We'll replace a by
(1):

4(-b - 1) + 3b = 0

We'll
remove the brackets:

-4b - 4 + 3b =
0

We'll combine like terms:

-b
- 4 = 0

b = -4

a = -b - 1
=> a = 3

The values of the
coefficients a and b are: a =3 and b = -4.