factor the trinomial completely
x^2+40x+41
is the answer (the polynomial a prime)?

Question

factor the trinomial completely 
x^2+40x+41 
is the answer (the polynomial a prime)?

anonymous · Answer

Edit: Typo.

What are the factors of 41 that can be multiplied to get 40?

They are -1 and 41.

Therefore,

x^2+40x+41= (x + 41)(x - 1)


The polynomial is not prime, as its factors are (x + 41) and (x - 1).

anonymous · Answer

The first sentenced should say added, not multiplied.

anonymous · Answer

what will make a trinomial a prime?

anonymous · Answer

If we cannot factor it into elements like (x + some number) or if there is nothing common to all terms in the polynomial, i.e. a number, such as 2, or a variable, such as x.

anonymous · Answer

@SwiftDrift am i right in this one x^2-13x+40  = (x+5)(x+8)

anonymous · Answer

Close. You should have minuses instead of pluses.

(-5) times (-8) = 40
(-5) plus (-8) = -13

anonymous · Answer

so it would be (x-5)(x-8)

anonymous · Answer

Correct, that is the factored for of the polynomial.

anonymous · Answer

form*

anonymous · Answer

thanks !

anonymous · Answer

@SwiftDrift  sorry to bother but am i right in this one x^2-2x-15=(x-5)(x+3)

anonymous · Answer

Very good!

anonymous · Answer

thanks again :)