Q. Factor the following expression completely.x4+3x3+2x2−16x2−48x−32Answer:
Group Terms Together: Group similar terms together to make factoring easier.We can group the terms as follows: (x4+3x3+2x2)−(16x2+48x+32).
Factor Out Common Factors: Factor out the greatest common factor from each group.In the first group, x2 is the greatest common factor, and in the second group, 16 is the greatest common factor. So we get:x2(x2+3x+2)−16(x2+3x+2).
Recognize Same Quadratic Expressions: Notice that the quadratic expressions in both groups are the same.Since both groups contain the same quadratic expression (x2+3x+2), we can factor it out:(x2−16)(x2+3x+2).
Factor Difference of Squares: Factor the difference of squares in the first term.The expression x2−16 is a difference of squares and can be factored as (x+4)(x−4).
Factor Quadratic Expression: Factor the quadratic expression in the second term.The quadratic expression x2+3x+2 can be factored into (x+1)(x+2) because 1 and 2 are the numbers that add up to 3 (the coefficient of x) and multiply to 2 (the constant term).
Write Fully Factored Expression: Write the fully factored expression.Combining the factors from steps 4 and 5, we get the final factored expression:(x+4)(x−4)(x+1)(x+2).
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