Question

Factor x^2-2x+5=0.

Answer 1

Over what set of numbers are you factoring?
If that question does not make sense, then say what math subject you are currently taking.

Answer 2

@Idealist hey girl!! you should post the original one to get help. Don't post just the part you don't understand or get stuck. I guess it comes from ODE and relate to laplace transform or something like that. Other is characteristic equation from a 2x2 matrix and you need that factor to get eigenvalue.
One more thing, the equation you gave out lead to complex solution which is not eigenvalues of the matrix \(\rightarrow\) I think you make mistake at somewhere.