Question

-12a^6+8a^5-4a^4
inst difference of cube

Answer 1

try factoring out an a^4.

Answer 2

i dont know how

Answer 3

We know that all terms in the equation contain the term a^4, so can we pull that out of the equation?

Answer 4

so if i do 4a^3(-12a^6+8a^5-4a^4)

Answer 5

so its 3a^3+2a^2-a

Answer 6

exactly, but recall that when we factor out terms, they don't disappear from the equation, they just become coefficients. Also, every term has an a in it, so can we still factor out another "a"?

Answer 7

ok so 3a^2+2^a

Answer 8

when we factor, an "a" from a "-a" does it become 0?

Answer 9

it did

Answer 10

Unfortunately it does not! Whenever we factor an "a" from a "-a" the "-a" then becomes a -1. Thus our equation would look more like:
(4a^4)(-3a^2+2a-1)

Yes? (I would also pull out a negative to make things simpler)