<s>[INST] Algebra problem (problem from Swedish 12th grade ‘Student Exam’ from 1932) The following problem is taken from a Swedish 12th grade ‘Student Exam’ from 1932.

The sum of two numbers are $a$, the sum of the 3rd powers is $10a^3$. Calculate the sum of the 4th powers, expressed in $a$.

Is there a shorter/simpler solution than the one presented below? It feels there is some ‘trick’ to it. The solution presented below is more a ‘straight forward’ one.

Solution
We have
\begin{gather*}
\left\{
\begin{aligned}
x+y&=a\\
x^3+y^3&=10a^3
\end{aligned}
\right.
\quad\Leftrightarrow\quad
x^3+(a-x)^3=10a^3
\quad\Leftrightarrow\quad
x^2-ax-3a^2=0
\end{gather*}
which has the solutions
$$
x_{1,2}=\tfrac{1}{2}(1\pm\sqrt{13}\,)a
\qquad \Rightarrow \qquad
y_{1,2}=\tfrac{1}{2}(1\mp\sqrt{13}\,)a.
$$
Since
$$
(1+z)^4+(1-z)^4=2(1+6z^2+z^4)
$$
we have
\begin{align*}
x_1^4+y_1^4
&
=\bigl(\tfrac{1}{2}(1+\sqrt{13}\,)a\bigr)^{\!4}+\bigl(\tfrac{1}{2}(1-\sqrt{13}\,)a\bigr)^{\!4}
=\tfrac{a^4}{16}\cdot2\bigl(1+6z^2+z^4\bigr)\big|_{z=\sqrt{13}}
\\&=\tfrac{a^4}{8}(1+6\cdot13+13^2)
=\tfrac{a^4}{8}\cdot248
=31a^4
\end{align*}
and, as above,
$$
x_2^4+y_2^4
=\bigl(\tfrac{1}{2}(1-\sqrt{13}\,)a\bigr)^{\!4}+\bigl(\tfrac{1}{2}(1+\sqrt{13}\,)a\bigr)^{\!4}
=31a^4.
$$
Hence, the answer is $31a^4$.

The original exam

 [/INST] A very nice question.
You can think in this way: if we denote
$$x+y = s\\
x^3 + y^3= t\\
x^4 + y^4 = u$$
$s$, $t$, $u$ depend on only two parameters $x$, $y$, so they have only two degrees of freedom. Therefore, there must be some relation between $s$, $t$, $u$. It can be obtained by eliminating $x$, $y$ from the above equation. The relation obtained will be a polynomial one. I used WA and got this relation
$$s^6 - 8 s^3 t - 2 t^2 + 9 s^2 u=0$$
You can  check it directly by substituting $s=x+y$, $t=x^3 + y^3$, $u=x^4 + y^4$.
</s>