document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=630637>Question 630637</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Andrew factored the expression -4x^3+2x^2+8x as -2x(4x^2-2x-8). But when Melissa applied the distributive law and multiplied out -2x(4x^2-2x-8), she got -8x^3+4x^2+16x; thus, Andrew's solution does not appear to check. Why is this?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Please help Andrew to understand this better. EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING and correctly factor the orginal expression, if possible. If the expression is prime, so state.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I have worked on this and I am totally messed up. Can you help?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks in advance... </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #397062 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=dfrazzetto><B>dfrazzetto(283)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=dfrazzetto><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=dfrazzetto><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=397062\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Just some arithmetic errors:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-4x^3+2x^2+8x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(-2x)(2x^2 -x -4)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "CHeck, multiply it back out\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(-2x)(2x^2 -x -4) = -4x^3 - (2x^2) - (-8x) = -4x^3+2x^2+8x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Correct </SPAN>\n" );
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