How so? (pardon me if I be asking heap stupid question; I pulled an all-nighter last night and the brain doth rebel against unwarranted abuse)Hurkyl said:To find it... well, one way is that there are only four rational numbers that could possibly be roots of your polynomial
To factor a polynomial, we need to find its factors, which are numbers or expressions that when multiplied together, give the original polynomial. In the case of x^3-2x^2-x+2, we can use the grouping method to factor it. This involves grouping the terms in pairs and factoring out a common factor from each pair. Then, we can factor out another common factor from the remaining terms to get the final factored form.
A polynomial can be factored if it has more than one term and all its terms have a common factor. In other words, if all the terms can be divided by the same number or expression, then the polynomial can be factored.
No, the quadratic formula can only be used to solve quadratic equations of the form ax^2+bx+c=0. It cannot be used to factor polynomials with a degree higher than 2.
Yes, there are some common patterns that can help with factoring polynomials. These include the difference of squares, perfect square trinomials, and the sum/difference of cubes. These patterns can save time and make factoring easier.
Factoring polynomials is a fundamental skill in algebra and is used in various applications such as solving equations, finding roots, and simplifying expressions. In real life, it can be used in fields like engineering, finance, and science to model and solve problems involving variables and equations.