Question

Strategy for factoring something like this?

Answer 1

\[x^2+2+\frac{ 1 }{ x^2 }\]

Answer 2

Because it is really hard for me to see the factor.

Answer 3

1) Write down what you know as soon as you know it.

IF it can be factored, it must look like this:

(x ___ ___)(x ___ ___) -- That is the ONLY factorization of x^2

IF it can be factored, it must look like this:

(x ___ 1/x)(x ___ 1/x) -- That is the ONLY factorization of 1/x^2

There are ONLY positive coefficients, so it MUST do this:

(x + 1/x)(x + 1/x)

Whoops, we accidentally factored it.

Answer 4

ah, I see, thanks. Normally when I glance at an equation like this where factoring would be useful, I can't seem to recognize that it is factorable, but yeah.