document.write( "Question 611008: Factor completely Remember to look first for a common factor. Check by multiplying. If a polynomial is prime, state this.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2x^3 - 40x^2 + 192x\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #384723 by ashipm01(26) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The common factor between all three terms is 2x, so you can factor that out first resulting in the following expression:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+2x%28x%5E2+-+20x+%2B+96%29+\"$ \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now the second-degree polynomial can be factored normally by looking for two numbers that multiply together and result in 96 and add together to equal -20. The prime factors of 96 are 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3 so any distinct way to split those prime factors into two groups will yield a different pair of numbers that will multiply together to form 96. For example, the grouping {2, 2, 2} {2, 2, 3} will result in 8 * 12 (the product of each term in the prime factor group). But 8 + 12 = 20 and not -20, however if the numbers were -8 and -12 then they would add together to equal -20 and they would multiply together to equal 96.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So knowing the correct factors for the expression, it can now be rewritten as following:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+2x%28x-8%29%28x-12%29+\"$ \n" ); document.write( "

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