Question 107590:  Factor each of the following polynomials completely: 
-3s^2 - 10s + 8 
I do not even know where to start because I do not understnd the text book.  
 Found 3 solutions by  stanbon, checkley71, scott8148: Answer by stanbon(75887)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! -3s^2 - 10s + 8 
Find two numbers whse product = ac = -24 and whose sum = b= -10 
the numbers are -12 and +2 
Replace -10s by -12s+2s 
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= -3s^2-12s+2s+8 
Factor the 1st two and the last two terms separately 
=-3s(s+4)+2(s+4) 
Factor again to get: 
=(s+4)(-3s+2) 
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Cheers, 
Stan H. 
 
 Answer by checkley71(8403)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! -3S^2-10S+8 YOU NEED TO FIND 2 FACTORS OF -3 & 2 FACTORS OF 8 THAT WHEN MULTIPLIED & THEN ADDED = -10. 
FACTORS OF -3 ARE (1,-3). FACTORS OF 8 ARE (1,8),(-1,-8),(2,4),(-2,-4). 
YOU CAN ELIMINATE THE 1&8 BECAUSE 8+3=11, 8-3=5. SO IT MUST BE THE (2,4)   FACTORS. TRY 1*4+-3*2=4-6=-2 NOT A GOOD TRY. 1*2+(-3*4)=2-12=-10 LOOKS LIKE A WINNER. 
SO WE HAVE: 
(-3S+2)(S+4) 
PROOF 
-3S+2 
S+4 WHEN MULTIPLIED 
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-3S^2+2S-12S+8 COMBINING LIKE TERMS WE GET 
-3X^2-10S+8 
 Answer by scott8148(6628)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! factor means to find the quantities that are multiplied to get the quantity you are factoring
 
 
example: (x+1)(x+2)=x^2+3x+2 ... (x+1) and (x+2) are factors of x^2+3x+2
 
 
notice that the constant term (2) is the product of the constant terms in the factors 
...and the x coefficient (3) is the sum of the constant terms of the factors
 
 
one technique is grouping ... x^2+3x+2 ... (x^2+x)+(2x+2) ... (x(x+1))+(2(x+1)) ... (x+2)(x+1) 
...factoring the groups is easier than the whole expression
 
 
-3s^2-10s+8 ... (-3s^2-12s)+(2s+8) ... (-3s(s+4))+(2(s+4))
 
 
it takes time and practice to spot the patterns easily ... good luck 
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