Arrange Polynomial Descending Order: Write down the polynomial and arrange it in descending order of powers of x. We have the polynomial 16x2−30x−2x3. To arrange it in descending order, we rewrite it as −2x3+16x2−30x.
Factor Out Greatest Common Factor: Factor out the greatest common factor (GCF) from the polynomial.The GCF of the coefficients −2, 16, and −30 is 2. However, since the leading coefficient is negative, we will factor out −2 to keep the leading term positive. We also factor out an x since all terms have at least one x.Factoring out −2x, we get −2x(x2−8x+15).
Factor Quadratic Expression: Factor the quadratic expression inside the parentheses.We need to find two numbers that multiply to give the product ac=15 and add to give the middle coefficient b=−8.The numbers that satisfy this are −3 and −5, since (−3)×(−5)=15 and (−3)+(−5)=−8.So, we can factor the quadratic as (x−3)(x−5).
Write Fully Factored Form: Write down the fully factored form of the polynomial. Combining the factored out term from Step 2 and the factored quadratic from Step 3, we get the fully factored form of the polynomial: −2x(x−3)(x−5).