How do you factor x^3-3x+2?

2 Answers
May 31, 2015

First notice that substituting x=1 results in x^3-3x+2 = 0

So (x-1) is a factor.

Use synthetic division to find the remaining factor...

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

Notice that x=1 is also a root of x^2+x-2

So we have another (x-1) factor...

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

So the complete factorization is:

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

May 31, 2015

f(x) = x^3 - 3x + 2 = 0

Since (a + b + c + d = 0), then one factor is (x - 1)

Factored form: f(x) = (x - 1)(x^2 + x - 2) = (x - 1)(x - 1)(x + 2) =

= (x - 1)^2 * (x + 2)