How do you factor 27x^3 + 54 x^2 + 36x +8 by grouping?

1 Answer
Jun 19, 2016

Note that the first and last terms are perfect cubes and find:

27x^3+54x^2+36x+8 = (3x+2)^3

Explanation:

Notice that the ratio between the first and second coefficients is not the same as that between the third and fourth.

That is: 27/54 != 36/8

So this does not factor by grouping.

color(white)
Note that the first and last terms are both perfect cubes:

27x^3 = (3x)^3

8 = 2^3

So we might try (3x+2)^3:

(3x+2)^3 = 27x^3+54x^2+36x+8

Yes - that's our factoring.