z³ - iz² + 3iz + 3 Factor z² out of the first two terms z²(z - i) + 3iz + 3 Now we'd like to be able to factor z - i out of the last two terms 3iz + 3, It looks hopeless but we have a magic trick. Since 1 = -i² we can multiply the 3 by -i² since that equals 1 and will not change the value of the expression: z²(z - i) + 3iz + 3(-i²) z²(z - i) + 3iz - 3i² Now we can factor +3i out of the last two terms: z²(z - i) + 3i(z - i) That did it, so now we can factor out (z - i) (z - i)(z² + 3i) Edwin