SOLUTION: Please help this is confusing to me. Factor each polynomial by grouping the first two terms and the last two terms. x^3 - 4x^2 + 2x -8

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Please help this is confusing to me. Factor each polynomial by grouping the first two terms and the last two terms. x^3 - 4x^2 + 2x -8      Log On


   

Question 77221: Please help this is confusing to me.
Factor each polynomial by grouping the first two terms and the last two terms.
x^3 - 4x^2 + 2x -8
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x%5E3+-+4x%5E2+%2B+2x+-8
%28x%5E3+-+4x%5E2%29+%2B+%282x+-8%29 Group terms where a factor can be drawn out
x%5E2%28x+-+4%29+%2B+%282x+-8%29 Factor out x%5E2 out of the first group
We want the 2nd parenthesis to have (x-4) inside it, so to do that we ask ourselves: how do we go from 2x to x and how do we go from -8 to -4?
x%5E2%28x+-+4%29+%2B+2%28x+-4%29 We can do that by factoring out a 2
%28x%5E2%2B2%29%28x+-+4%29 Now we can combine like terms. This is the simplified factorization since x%5E2%2B2 cannot be factored further