SOLUTION: Factor a^2+4b^2 Please help me solve this

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Question 1014105: Factor a^2+4b^2
Please help me solve this

Answer by rothauserc(4718) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a^2 + 4b^2 is an elliptic paraboloid, however, it is also an irreducible polynomial, that is,
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A polynomial is said to be irreducible if it cannot be factored into nontrivial polynomials over the same field.
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For example, in the field of rational polynomials Q[x] (i.e., polynomials f(x) with rational coefficients), f(x) is said to be irreducible if there do not exist two non-constant polynomials g(x) and h(x) in x with rational coefficients such that
f(x) = g(x) * h(x)