SOLUTION: please help me solve this question {{{x^6-7x^4+12x^2}}} please explain as you solve the problem thank you

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Question 321098: please help me solve this question x%5E6-7x%5E4%2B12x%5E2
please explain as you solve the problem
thank you

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm assuming you want to factor.

x%5E6-7x%5E4%2B12x%5E2 Start with the given expression


x%5E2%28x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12%29 Factor out the GCF x%5E2


Now let's focus on the inner expression x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12


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Looking at x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12 we can see that the first term is x%5E4 and the last term is 12 where the coefficients are 1 and 12 respectively.

Now multiply the first coefficient 1 and the last coefficient 12 to get 12. Now what two numbers multiply to 12 and add to the middle coefficient -7? Let's list all of the factors of 12:



Factors of 12:
1,2,3,4,6,12

-1,-2,-3,-4,-6,-12 ...List the negative factors as well. This will allow us to find all possible combinations

These factors pair up and multiply to 12
1*12
2*6
3*4
(-1)*(-12)
(-2)*(-6)
(-3)*(-4)

note: remember two negative numbers multiplied together make a positive number


Now which of these pairs add to -7? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to -7

First NumberSecond NumberSum
1121+12=13
262+6=8
343+4=7
-1-12-1+(-12)=-13
-2-6-2+(-6)=-8
-3-4-3+(-4)=-7



From this list we can see that -3 and -4 add up to -7 and multiply to 12


Now looking at the expression x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12, replace -7x%5E2 with -3x%5E2-4x%5E2 (notice -3x%5E2-4x%5E2 adds up to -7x%5E2. So it is equivalent to -7x%5E2)

x%5E4%2Bhighlight%28-3x%5E2-4x%5E2%29%2B12


Now let's factor x%5E4-3x%5E2-4x%5E2%2B12 by grouping:


%28x%5E4-3x%5E2%29%2B%28-4x%5E2%2B12%29 Group like terms


x%5E2%28x%5E2-3%29-4%28x%5E2-3%29 Factor out the GCF of x%5E2 out of the first group. Factor out the GCF of -4 out of the second group


%28x%5E2-4%29%28x%5E2-3%29 Since we have a common term of x%5E2-3, we can combine like terms

So x%5E4-3x%5E2-4x%5E2%2B12 factors to %28x%5E2-4%29%28x%5E2-3%29


So this also means that x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12 factors to %28x%5E2-4%29%28x%5E2-3%29 (since x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12 is equivalent to x%5E4-3x%5E2-4x%5E2%2B12)



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So our expression goes from x%5E2%28x%5E4-7x%5E2%2B12%29 and factors further to x%5E2%28x%5E2-4%29%28x%5E2-3%29


Finally, we can factor x%5E2-4 to get %28x%2B2%29%28x-2%29 which means that x%5E2%28x%5E2-4%29%28x%5E2-3%29 factors into x%5E2%28x%2B2%29%28x-2%29%28x%5E2-3%29


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Answer:

So x%5E6-7x%5E4%2B12x%5E2 completely factors to x%5E2%28x%2B2%29%28x-2%29%28x%5E2-3%29


In other words, x%5E6-7x%5E4%2B12x%5E2=x%5E2%28x%2B2%29%28x-2%29%28x%5E2-3%29