How do you factorize #14x ^ { 2} - x - 3#?

1 Answer
Jul 2, 2017

#14x^2-x-3=...........#

Explanation:

#14x^2-x-3=(7x+3)(2x-1)#

The factors are right, but how did I get it? The only reasonable factors for #14x^2# are #7x# and #2x#......and their product gives #14x^2#. The factors of #-3# are EITHER #1# and #-3# OR #3# and #-1#, so I tried each of them in turn....and happened on the right one. There is undoubtedly a more systematic way of doing this.......