Question

2x^2-5x-3? help please. im comfused.. could you factor it?

Answer 1

(2x )(x )

the 2 numbers you need in each blank space are obtained as follows
they will have a product of -3, and 2 times one of them added to the other will give the middle number -5

Answer 2

you lost me, could you explain that differently?

Answer 3

ok - i'll try - its a bit tricky to explain
lets expand a similar expression

(2x + 1(x - 2)...................(1)
first you multiply second bracket by 2x then by + 1:
= 2x^2 - 4x + 1x - 2 = 2x^2 - 3x - 2*

now work backwards to get (1)
as we have 2x^2 we write (2x )(x )
now to find 2 numbers to go in the blanks:
+1 and -2 have product -2*
and + 1 + 2(-2) = -3 *
so we have what we require to fill the blank spaces

(2x + 1)( x - 2)