How do you factor -2x^3 + 4x^2 +96x2x3+4x2+96x?

1 Answer
Aug 28, 2015

-2x^3 + 4x^2 +96x = color(green)(-2x(x + 6)(x - 8)2x3+4x2+96x=2x(x+6)(x8)

Explanation:

Factorizing an expression is to write it as a product of its factors

The first step of factorizing an expression is to 'take out' any common factors which the terms have.

In the given expression, we can take out -2x2x as a common factor

-2x^3 + 4x^2 +96x = -2xcolor(blue)((x^2 - 2x - 48)2x3+4x2+96x=2x(x22x48)

And now we factorize color(blue)((x^2 - 2x - 48)(x22x48)

We can use Splitting the middle term technique to factorise the above expression

color(blue)(x^2 - 2x - 48xx22x48x
= x^2 + 6x - 8x - 48=x2+6x8x48

= x(x+6) - 8(x+6)=x(x+6)8(x+6)

As x+6x+6 is common to both the terms, we can write the expression as: color(blue)((x + 6)(x - 8)(x+6)(x8)

Hence we get -2x^3 + 4x^2 +96x = color(green)(-2x(x + 6)(x - 8)2x3+4x2+96x=2x(x+6)(x8)