document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=253266>Question 253266</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Can someone help me! I keep getting two different answers to this problem (3a^3+4a^2-a-1)(a-5)      My two answers are 3a^4-15a^3+4a^3-21a^2+4a+5     and 3a^4-11a^3-21a^2+4a+5 I want to lean more towards the bottom answer but I've used the calulater to a problem and it gave me the top answer. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #185541 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=185541\">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=%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29\"   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=%28a-5%29%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a-5%29%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Rearrange the terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29-5%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29-5%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Expand. Recall that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28A%2BB%29%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29=A%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29%2BB%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28A%2BB%29%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29=A%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29%2BB%28C%2BD%2BE%2BF%29\"   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=%28a%29%283a%5E3%29%2B%28a%29%284a%5E2%29%2B%28a%29%28-a%29%2B%28a%29%28-1%29%2B%28-5%29%283a%5E3%29%2B%28-5%29%284a%5E2%29%2B%28-5%29%28-a%29%2B%28-5%29%28-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3a%5E4%2B4a%5E3-a%5E2-a-15a%5E3-20a%5E2%2B5a%2B5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3a%5E4%2B4a%5E3-a%5E2-a-15a%5E3-20a%5E2%2B5a%2B5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Now combine like terms.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > expands to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5\"   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=%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29=3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%283a%5E3%2B4a%5E2-a-1%29%28a-5%29=3a%5E4-11a%5E3-21a%5E2%2B4a%2B5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "As verification, you can graph the two expressions and you'll see that they are indeed the same graph. </SPAN>\n" );
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