Question

can someone please help me factor a polynomial that starts with a negative number? -2x^2-20x-48

Answer 1

(-2x + )(x + ) or maybe (2x + )( -x + )

Answer 2

factor out -2 from each term
-2(x^2+10x+24)
now factor x^2+10x+24

Answer 3

Thanks Phi!! i was sooo close, but i just couldn't see it

Answer 4

does the -2 just go away? or do I have to add it to the answer? ie -2(x^2-10-24) or does it just go away

Answer 5

as usual, I am good, but Phi is better

Answer 6

thanks anyway philips

Answer 7

nothing just goes away, unless it's adding 0 or multiplying by 1
so keep the -2 as a factor

Answer 8

ok thanks! I'm not so good at math yet... but with ya'lls help i'll get there!

Answer 9

all it is, is practice... that is true of everything...
the more you do, the better you get, at anything

Answer 10

you get -2(x+4)(x+6)

Now, if you had an equation -2x^2-20x-48=0
you would have -2(x+4)(x+6)=0
and you could divide both sides by -2 to get: (x+4)(x+6)=0
(In that sense, you can "make it go away")

But when you just factor it, you keep the -2 out front.

Answer 11

-(2x + 8)(x + 6) is the answer given and I can't figure out how to get there... any insight?

Answer 12

i got what you got and then got a bit frustrated again...

Answer 13

they just distributed the 2 over (x+4). in other words multiplied 2 times (x+4)
they left the -1 out side; so -1(2x+8)(x+6)

Answer 14

though you write it as -(2x+8)(x+6)

Answer 15

Btw, my answer is "more factored" than the one given.

Answer 16

can you show me the work from -2(x^2-4x=6x-24) to the answer given? i'm missing something... lol i have no doubts in your ability i'm still trying to grasp the basics... and they are eluding me still

Answer 17

oops sorry i messed up writing the equation to you... sorry...

Answer 18

-2x^2-20x-48
-2(x^2+10x+24) factor out -2
now factor the quadratic. The way I do it is: sign on 24 is + that means I want two numbers with the same sign. sign on 10 is +, so both numbers are +
list the factors of 24: 1,24 no; 2,12 no; 3,8 no; 4,6 yes 4+6=10
so we get (x+4)(x+6) for (x^2+10x+24)
remember the -2 to get
-2(x+4)(x+6)

if it is multiple choice and you see -(2x+8)(x+6) look at your answer and notice that -2(x+4)(x+6)= -(2x+8) (x+6)

Answer 19

so initially when you factor out the -2 that would change the signs inside the parenthesis to =... that could be what i was missing

Answer 20

yes, pulling out a minus sign from each term. You can check by multiplying by -2 and if you did it correctly, you get the original expression.

Answer 21

good grief thank you so much... i think i might have it finally!! let the celebration commence