document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=4210>Question 4210</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How can you tell if a polynomial of the form x²+bx+c is prime? \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "How can you tell if a polynomial of the form ax²+bx+c (where a is a positive number not equal to 1) is prime?  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #1878 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><B>rapaljer(4671)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><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=rapaljer><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=1878\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Calculate <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2+-+4ac ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2+-+4ac\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, which comes from the quadratic formula.  If <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%5E2+-+4ac ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%5E2+-+4ac\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is a perfect square, then the polynomial can be factored.  If it is NOT a perfect square, then the polynomial does not factor and it is prime.  It doesn't matter if a is positive or negative, whether or not a = 1.   </SPAN>\n" );
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