Question

How do you factor `2x^3 + 3x^2 - 8x-12`?

Answer 1

`(x - 2)(2x^2 + 7x + 6)`

Explanation:

`y = 2x^3 + 3x^2 - 8x - 12`.
Note that f(2) = 0, then, one factor is (x - 2).
After division, we get:
`y = (x - 2)(2x^3 + 7x + 6)`
The trinomial in parentheses can't be factored because its D < 0.
Therefor,
`y = (x - 2)(2x^3 + 7x + 6)`