answer intermediate algebra question and reply to student post 2 part question
1.(a) What is the very fist step when factoring a polynomial? Provide an example!
(b) Discuss how to factor by grouping and provide an example.
2. Reply to each and every post from your classmate (we are only like 6 students in our class) providing comments, thoughts, some good feedback, or questions. You must elaborate on your feedback, phrases like just “great job” or “good” will not get any credit. You must provide substantive feedback!
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Angela Miller,
1. (a) What is the very first step when factoring a polynomial? Provide an example!
The first step you need to do is find the greatest common factor because it will make factoring polynomial much easier and the number of factors of each term will be lower after you have factor one or more of them out. Remember the greatest common factor includes a variable.
6x^7 + 3x^4 – 9x^3
6x^7 + 3x^4 – 9x^3
(b) Discuss how to factor by grouping and provide an example.
First you need decide if the four terms have anything in common which is the GCF, create small groups, factor out all GCF from each of two groups and in second you have the choice of factoring out positive or negative number, if the factors in parenthesis are the same than you can factor out what is inside but if you rearrange the four terms and don’t have a match then the problem does not factor. Then you will determine if the remaining factors can be factored any further.
7x + 7x^3 + x^4 + x^6
(7x + 7x^3) + (x^4 + x^6)
7x + 7x^3 + x^4 + x^6 = 7x (1+x^2) + x^4 (1 + x^2)
7x + 7x^3 + x^4 + x^6
