How do you factor 8x^3+4x^2-18x-98x3+4x218x9?

1 Answer
Jun 22, 2016

8x^3+4x^2-18x-9=(2x-3)(2x+3)(2x+1)8x3+4x218x9=(2x3)(2x+3)(2x+1)

Explanation:

Notice that the ratio between the first and second terms is the same as that between the third and fourth terms. So we can factor this cubic by grouping:

8x^3+4x^2-18x-98x3+4x218x9

=(8x^3+4x^2)-(18x+9)=(8x3+4x2)(18x+9)

=4x^2(2x+1)-9(2x+1)=4x2(2x+1)9(2x+1)

=(4x^2-9)(2x+1)=(4x29)(2x+1)

=((2x)^2-3^2)(2x+1)=((2x)232)(2x+1)

=(2x-3)(2x+3)(2x+1)=(2x3)(2x+3)(2x+1)

Note that we also used the difference of squares identity:

a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b)a2b2=(ab)(a+b)

with a=2xa=2x and b=3b=3