Question 346182
a^3-2a^2-4a-8=0

How would I solve this?


you sure that it is not a^3 + 2a^2 - 4a - 8 = 0?
if it was:               
(a + 2)(a^2 - 4) = 0
using FOIL:
a^3 - 4a + 2a^2 - 8 = 0
rearranging
a^3 + 2a^2 - 4a - 8 = 0


then: (a + 2)(a^2 - 4) = 0
      (a + 2)(a + 2)(a - 2) = 0


then a = -2 (twice) and a = 2