document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=236937>Question 236937</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please help me solve this problem:<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 #174277 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=174277\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E3-2x%5E2-7x-4=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E3-2x%5E2-7x-4=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > can be solved as follows:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "divide <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E3-2x%5E2-7x-4=0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E3-2x%5E2-7x-4=0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x-4%29+%2A+x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+1+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x-4%29+%2A+x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+1+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "factor <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x-4%29+%2A+%28x%2B1%29+%2A+%28x%2B1%29+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x-4%29+%2A+%28x%2B1%29+%2A+%28x%2B1%29+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = 4 or x = -1\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I looked at the original equation and figured that if there was a way to divide (x-?) into it, then the ? had to be either 4 or a factor of 4 because that would make the division come out even.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I tried (x-2) into x^3 - 2x^2 - 7x - 4 but that didn't work.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I then saw that (x-4) might work and tried it.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "It did.\r<BR>\n" );
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