How do you factor 1000x^3+27?

1 Answer
Aug 28, 2016

1000x^3+27=(10x+3)(100x^2-30x+9)

Explanation:

The sum of cubes identity can be written:

a^3+b^3=(a+b)(a^2-ab+b^2)

Use this with a=10x and b=3 as follows:

1000x^3+27

=(10x)^3+3^3

=(10x+3)((10x)^2-(10x)(3)+3^2)

=(10x+3)(100x^2-30x+9)

This is as far as we can go with Real coefficients. If we allow Complex coefficients then it can be factored further as:

=(10x+3)(10x+3omega)(10x+3omega^2)

where omega = -1/2+sqrt(3)/2i is the primitive Complex cube root of 1.