Question 1190367
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(original response deleted)<br>
I used the polynomial shown by the first tutor, which was not the given polynomial...<br>
Use synthetic division as shown by tutor @math_tutor2020 to complete the factoring.<br>
And by the way, factoring a polynomial with four terms by grouping only works in very special cases, like this:<br>
{{{x^3-3x^2-4x+12}}}<br>
Note the coefficient of the x term (-4) is -4 times the coefficient of the x^3 term (1), and the constant term (12) is -4 times the coefficient of the x^2 term (-3).  Since both those ratios are the same, the polynomial can be factored by grouping.<br>
{{{x^3-3x^2-4x+12=(x^3-3x^2)+(-4x+12)=x^2(x-3)-4(x-3)=(x^2-4)(x-3)}}}<br>
Since the coefficients in the given polynomial do not have a pattern like that, the polynomial can't be factored by grouping.<br>
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A further note, in response to the statement from tutor @ikleyn that my statement that this polynomial can't be factored by grouping is incorrect.<br>
In fact my statement is correct: this polynomial can't be factored by grouping.<br>
Factoring by grouping consists of grouping the four terms into two groups of two terms each and factoring the common factor out of each pair to obtain a factorization.<br>
The process she uses of "grouping/regrouping" can be used to factor ANY polynomial given one of the binomial factors... but that process is NOT factoring by grouping.<br>