Question

factor 1(2x^2 - 5x - 2)

Answer 1

what is the 1 doing out front?

Answer 2

you have to find the GCF first then factor.. that was the directions.. its just 1..

Answer 3

any help?????

Answer 4

woops typo 12x^2 - 5x - 2

Answer 5

(3x-2)(4x+1)

Answer 6

there is no such thing as the "greatest common factor" one thing. "common" means "in common" so you need at least two

Answer 7

if you are supposed to write the polynomial as a produce, the directions should be "factor"

Answer 8

.... the directions say check for GCF then factor each trinomial completely..

Answer 9

can you just show me how to do it... ?

Answer 10

i dont need an argument i came here for help

Answer 11

what it means is check for the greatest common factor of each term. in this case it is 1, so you are just supposed to factor

Answer 12

I said it was one... and i do not know how to factor it that is why i am asking for your help

Answer 13

they wrote that in case you saw
\[4x^2+8x+4\] and then you would start with
\[4(x^2+2x+1)\]

Answer 14

oh ok

Answer 15

I see the answer, but I dont know how you got it.

Answer 16

you can "factor by grouping" i suppose. i will show the steps for this one. but most people use "trial and error"

Answer 17

the leading coefficient is 12, the constant is -2 multiply to get
\[12\times -2=-24\] and now you have to think of two numbers whose product is -24 that add to -5

Answer 18

-8 and 3 will work because
\[-8\times 3=-24,-8+3=-5\]

Answer 19

then split the middle term as
\[12x^2+3x-8x-2\] and then factor each pair. you get
\[3x(4x+1)-2(4x+1)\] and so you finish with
\[(3x-2)(4x+1)\]

Answer 20

Oh okay, that makes more sense.. thanks