Question 55641: please help factor completly x^3-2x^2-x+2
Answer by mystic1306(20)  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! x^3-2x^2-x+2
Pull out the Greatest Common Factor of x^3-2x^2 and -x+2
x^2 is the GCF of x^3-2x^2 and goes on the outside of the ()
now x^3-x^2= x and 2x^2-x^2= 2 now put them in () and don't forget the sign from the original problem it should look like this x^2(x-2)
and -1 is the GCF of -x+2 so repeating what we did before -1(x-2) the -1 changes the sign of +2
you end up with
x^2(x-2)-1(x-2)
*the numbers in the () (x-2) and (x-2) MUST match
now the (x-2) and the other (x-2) become one (x-2)
and x^2 and -1 go in () (x^2-1)
now put them together
(x-2)(x^2-1) or (x^2-1)(x-2)
it doesn't matter which one you put first
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