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I got stuck on this system of equations. Could you help and tell me how should I approach this problem?

\begin{align*} x+y^2 &= y^3\\ y+x^2 &= x^3 \end{align*}

These are the solutions: \begin{align*} (0, 0); \\((1+\sqrt{5})/2, (1+\sqrt{5})/2); \\((1-\sqrt{5})/2, (1-\sqrt{5})/2); \end{align*}

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$x=y=0$ is trivial solution, but $x=y$ works yet. – MyGlasses 3 hours ago
    
Are $x,y$ presumed to be real? – dxiv 3 hours ago
    
Yes, x and y can be real. – Ingvaras Galinskas 3 hours ago

Here's your equations:

$x+y^2 = y^3$

$y+x^2 = x^3$

I could substitute $x=y^3-y^2$ and get a degree 9 equation in $y$, but I'll try something else.

Looking at these, I notice that if I subtract them, I get something in which everything is divisible by $x-y$.

Subtracting the second from the first, I get

$(x-y)+(y^2-x^2) =y^3-x^3 $

or $(x-y)+(y-x)(y+x) =(y-x)(y^2+xy+x^2) $.

If $y \ne x$, dividing by $x-y$ gives $1-(y+x) =y^2+xy+x^2 $ or $0 =y^2+y(x+1)+x^2+x+1 $.

Solving this,

$\begin{array}\\ y &=\dfrac{-(x+1)\pm \sqrt{(x+1)^2-4(x^2+x+1)}}{2}\\ &=\dfrac{-(x+1)\pm \sqrt{x^2+2x+1-4x^2-4x-4}}{2}\\ &=\dfrac{-(x+1)\pm \sqrt{-3x^2-2x-3}}{2}\\ &=\dfrac{-(x+1)\pm \sqrt{-2x^2-x^2-2x-1-2}}{2}\\ &=\dfrac{-(x+1)\pm \sqrt{-2x^2-(x+1)^2-2}}{2}\\ \end{array} $

Since the discriminant is negative, there are no real values of $y$.

Therefore the only real solution is $x=y$.

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2  
I think you made a mistake. The equation after $1-(y+x)=y^2+xy+x^2$ should be $y^2+y(x+1)+x^2+x-1$. – S.C.B. 2 hours ago
    
I think the mistake was dividing $x-y$ on the left hand side but accidentally divide $y-x$ on the right hand side. It is a fixable mistake. We just have to change a few signs. – Siong Thye Goh 2 hours ago

Notice that $x=0 \implies y=0$, hence $(0,0)$ is a trivial solution. We will consider the case where $x \neq 0$.

$$x=y^2(y-1)$$ $$y=x^2(x-1)$$

Suppose on the contrary that $x=1$, then from the second equation $y=0$ which contradicts the first equation $x=0$. Hence $x \neq 1$.

Suppose on the contrary that $x \in (0,1)$,

$$y=x^2(x-1) \in (-1,0)$$

and hence $$x=y^2(y-1)<0$$

which is a contradiction. Hence $x \notin (0,1).$ By symmetry, $y \notin (0,1)$.

Also, notice if $x>1$, then $y=x^2(x-1)>0$, and hence $y>1$.

and if $x<0$ then $y=x^2(x-1)<0$.

$$x=y^2(y-1)$$

$$x^2(x-1)=y$$

Multiply the two equations together, we have

$$x^3(x-1)=y^3(y-1)$$

Consider the function, $$f: (1,\infty) \rightarrow (0,\infty),\text{ where }f(t)= t^3(t-1).$$

We can easily see that this function is increasing and it is an injective function.

Hence, if $x>1$, we have $f(x)=f(y)$ and hence $x=y$.

Similarly, we can consider the function, $$g: (-\infty,0) \rightarrow (0,\infty),\text{ where }g(t)= t^3(t-1).$$

We can easily see that this function is decreasing and it is an injective function.

Hence, if $x<0$, we have $g(x)=g(y)$ and hence $x=y$.

Hence, we always have $x=y$.

$$x+x^2=x^3$$

$$x(1-x-x^2)=0$$

$x=0$ or $1-x-x^2=0$

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We have \begin{align*} x+y^2 &= y^3\\ y+x^2 &= x^3 \end{align*}This curve is symmetric about the line $y=x$.On putting $x=y$ ,we have $x^3-x^2-x=0$ i.e $x=0,-0.618,1.618.$So, the solution pairs are $(0,0),(-0.618,-0.618),(1.618,1.618)$enter image description here

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Down voter,kindly comment the reason. – MatheMagic 16 mins ago

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