SOLUTION: x cubed - 36x factor this please

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Question 21702: x cubed - 36x factor this please
Answer by longjonsilver(2297) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x%5E3+-+36x really means x*x*x - 36*x. So, what appears in both terms? An x does. So take this out of both terms...ie factorise, leaving x*(x*x - 36), which is written as x%28x%5E2+-+36%29.

This is your answer.

However, x%28x%5E2+-+36%29 can be thought of as x%28x%5E2+-+6%5E2%29. Being able to write terms within the bracket as the "difference of squares" means we can write this is a factored pair, as follows:

x%28x-6%29%28x%2B6%29

This is now fully factored... multiply out the brackets to make you fully accept that it is in fact x%5E2-36

jon.