document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=206554>Question 206554</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321269470/algebrahomeworkh>Introductory Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please help me factor this equation: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%2B1%29-2x%5E%28n%2B1%29%2Bx ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%2B1%29-2x%5E%28n%2B1%29%2Bx\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #156095 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=156095\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The last solution is correct, but here's why <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > factors to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5En-1%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5En-1%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >...\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the given expression.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5En%29%5E2-2x%5En%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5En%29%5E2-2x%5En%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rewrite <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > as <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5En%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5En%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Note: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%28y%2Az%29=%28x%5E%28y%29%29%5Ez ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%28y%2Az%29=%28x%5E%28y%29%29%5Ez\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now let <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=x%5En ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=x%5En\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (a substitution to make things easier)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%5E2-2y%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%5E2-2y%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Replace each <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5En ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5En\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > with 'y'\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Looking at the expression <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%5E2-2y%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%5E2-2y%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, we can see that the first coefficient is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, the second coefficient is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and the last term is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > by the last term <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%29%281%29=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%29%281%29=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (the previous product) <font size=4><b>and</b></font> add to the second coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "To find these two numbers, we need to list <font size=4><b>all</b></font> of the factors of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (the previous product).\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Factors of <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "1\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-1\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Note: list the negative of each factor. This will allow us to find all possible combinations.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "These factors pair up and multiply to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "1*1 = 1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-1)*(-1) = 1\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now let's add up each pair of factors to see if one pair adds to the middle coefficient <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<th>First Number</th><th>Second Number</th><th>Sum</th><tr><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=black>1</font></TD><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=black>1</font></TD><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=black>1+1=2</font></TD></tr><tr><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=red>-1</font></TD><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=red>-1</font></TD><TD   align=\"center\"><font color=red>-1+(-1)=-2</font></TD></tr>\n" );
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document.write( "From the table, we can see that the two numbers <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > add to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (the middle coefficient).\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So the two numbers <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > both multiply to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > <font size=4><b>and</b></font> add to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now replace the middle term <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > with <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-y-y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-y-y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Remember, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > add to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. So this shows us that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-y-y=-2y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-y-y=-2y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-y-y%29%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-y-y%29%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Replace the second term <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > with <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-y-y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-y-y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28y%5E2-y%29%2B%28-y%2B1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28y%5E2-y%29%2B%28-y%2B1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Group the terms into two pairs.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%28y-1%29%2B%28-y%2B1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%28y-1%29%2B%28-y%2B1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor out the GCF <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > from the first group.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y%28y-1%29-1%28y-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y%28y-1%29-1%28y-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Factor out <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > from the second group. The goal of this step is to make the terms in the second parenthesis equal to the terms in the first parenthesis.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28y-1%29%28y-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28y-1%29%28y-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28y-1%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28y-1%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Condense the terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5En-1%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5En-1%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Plug in <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=y=x%5En ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"y=x%5En\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > factors to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%5En-1%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%5En-1%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In other words, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1=%28x%5En-1%29%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E%282n%29-2x%5En%2B1=%28x%5En-1%29%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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