I had answered the same question over here (using AM-GM inequality):
http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/366093/calculate-the-number-of-real-roots-of-x8-x5x2-x1-0/366467#366467
So you might want to check that out too.
The number of real roots of x8-x5+x2-x+1=0 is?
a] 2
b] 4
c] 6
d] 0
\left(x^4-\frac{x}{2}\right)^2+\frac{3}{4}x^2-x+1
= \left(x^4-\frac{x}{2}\right)^2+\frac{3}{4}\left(x^2-\frac{4}{3}x+\frac{4}{3}\right)
= \left(x^4-\frac{x}{2}\right)^2+\frac{3}{4}\left(x-\frac{2}{3}\right)^2+1-\frac{4}{9}>0\quad \forall x\in \mathbb{R}
Hence number of real roots = 0.(d)
d] zero
I had answered the same question over here (using AM-GM inequality):
http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/366093/calculate-the-number-of-real-roots-of-x8-x5x2-x1-0/366467#366467
So you might want to check that out too.