document.write( "Question 823886: x^4-2x^3-2x-1 factorise \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #495906 by Edwin McCravy(20060)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x4-2x3-2x-1\r\n" );
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document.write( "Rearrange to get -1 just after x4\r\n" );
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document.write( "x4-1-2x3-2x\r\n" );
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document.write( "Group the first two terms in parentheses:\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x4-1)-2x3-2x\r\n" );
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document.write( "Take out common factor -2x from last two terms \r\n" );
document.write( "(Don't forget that when the -2x is divided by\r\n" );
document.write( "-2x the quotient is +1 not -1)\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x4-1)-2x(x2+1)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Factor (x4-1) as the difference of two squares \r\n" );
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document.write( "(In the US we do not say \"factorise\", we just say \"factor\",\r\n" );
document.write( "just as we do not say \"maths\", we say \"math\".  Also we do \r\n" );
document.write( "not say \"trapezium\", we say \"trapezoid\"). :)\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x2-1)(x2+1)-2x(x2+1)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Take out common factor (x2+1)\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x2+1)[(x2-1)-2x]\r\n" );
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document.write( "Remove parentheses\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x2+1)[x2-1-2x]\r\n" );
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document.write( "Rearrange the terms in the brackets in descending\r\n" );
document.write( "order of exponents, and change brackets to parentheses:\r\n" );
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document.write( "(x2+1)(x2-2x-1)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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