<s>[INST] If $\cos^4 \theta −\sin^4 \theta = x$. Find $\cos^6 \theta − \sin^6 \theta $ in terms of $x$. Given $\cos^4 \theta −\sin^4  \theta = x$ , I've to find the value of $\cos^6 \theta − \sin^6 \theta $ .
Here is what I did:
$\cos^4 \theta −\sin^4  \theta = x$.
($\cos^2 \theta −\sin^2  \theta)(\cos^2 \theta +\sin^2  \theta) = x$
Thus 
($\cos^2 \theta −\sin^2  \theta)=x$ ,
so $\cos 2\theta=x$ .
Now $x^3=(\cos^2 \theta −\sin^2  \theta)^3=\cos^6 \theta-\sin^6 \theta +3 \sin^4 \theta \cos^2 \theta -3 \sin^2 \theta \cos^4 \theta $
So if I can find the value of $3 \sin^4 \theta \cos^2 \theta -3 \sin^2 \theta \cos^4 \theta $ in terms of $x$ , the question is solved. But how to do that ?
 [/INST] You have
$$\cos^2 \theta + \sin^2 \theta = 1$$
$$\cos^2 \theta - \sin^2 \theta = x$$
Adding and subtracting the two equations gives
$$\cos^2 \theta = {1 + x \over 2}$$
$$\sin^2 \theta = {1 - x \over 2}$$
Substituting you have
$$\cos^6 \theta - \sin^6 \theta = \bigg({1 + x \over 2}\bigg)^3 - \bigg({1 - x \over 2}\bigg)^3$$
$$ =  {3 \over 4} x + {1 \over 4} x^3$$
</s>