SOLUTION: Please help me solve: if f(x)=6x^3+13x^2+2x-5 and f(-1)=0, find the factors of f(x).

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Question 1123899: Please help me solve: if f(x)=6x^3+13x^2+2x-5 and f(-1)=0, find the factors of f(x).
Answer by Theo(13342)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
if f(-1) = 0, then one of the factors has to be x+1.

that's because, if x + 1 = 0, then solving for x will get x = -1.

your equation is f(x) = 6x^3 + 13x^2 + 2x -5.

f(-1) is solved by replacing x with -1 and evaluating the expression.

f(-1) becomes 6 * (-1)^3 + 13 * (-1)^2 + 2 * (-1) - 5.

the result is -6 + 13 - 2 - 5 = 0.

therefore, you need to divide 6x^3 + 13x^2 + 2x - 5 by (x+1).

alternatively, you can use synthetic division with -1 operating on the coefficients of 6x^3 + 13x^2 + 2x - 5.

either way, you'll get 6x^3 + 13x^2 + 2x - 5 divided by (x + 1) = 6x^2 + 7x - 5.

you can factor 6x^2 + 7x - 5 and get the factors of (2x - 1) * (3x + 5)

therefore, the factors of 6x^3 + 13x^2 + 2x - 5 are (x + 1) * (2x - 1) * (3x + 5).

it can be seen graphically that these are equivalent expressions because both equations will draw the same line, as shown below.

$$$

my calculations in the long division and the synthetic division are shown below.

the top section calculations are long division.
the bottom section calculations are synthetic division.

$$$

if you don't know how to do long division or synthetic division or how to factor quadratic equations, here's some references that should help you.

https://www.purplemath.com/modules/polydiv2.htm

https://www.purplemath.com/modules/synthdiv.htm

https://www.purplemath.com/modules/factquad.htm

when factoring quadratics, if all else fails, use the quadratic formula.

that formula is:



             x =    -b plus or minus sqrt(b^2 - 4ac)
                  -------------------------------------
                                 2a



for example, if it tells you that x = -1, then you want that equation to be equal to 0.
you would add 1 to both sides of that equation to get x + 1 = 0.
that means (x + 1) is one of your factors.







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