SOLUTION: is (x-1) a factor of (2x^3-6x+3)? Explain?

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Question 749105: is (x-1) a factor of (2x^3-6x+3)? Explain?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
How do know if any number is a factor of another number? Try dividing.

You have two choices for the polynomial and the binomial. Either you can split the polynomial into factors based on its (maybe) factorability and judge the result, or you can divide the trinomial by the binomial. If the division gives no remainder, then the binomial is a factor of the trinomial.

Your trinomial is, in expanded form, 2x%5E3%2B0%2Ax%5E2-6x%2B3

You can use polynomial division, but I will use synthetic division:

+1____|_____2______0______-6______3
______|
______|___________2________2______-4
______|____________________________
____________2______2_______-4_____-1

The remainder is -1, which is not zero. This means x-1 is NOT a factor of 2x%5E3-6x%2B3.