Question

Is the term (x + 1) a factor of the polynomial shown below?

f(x)=x^3-10x^2+27x-12

Answer 1

You could do synthetic division

Answer 2

Or use the remainder theorem

Answer 3

Use the fact that
If x = a makes f(x) equal to zero then (x - a) is a factor of f(x).

Just apply it in reverse. If (x - a) is a factor then f(a) must be zero.

Answer 4

Put x = -1 in f(x). If it is zero then (x + 1) is a factor.