How do you factor 4x3+13x213x4?

1 Answer
Jun 8, 2015

Notice that the sum of the coefficients is zero, so 1 is a zero:

f(x)=4x3+13x213x4

f(1)=4+13134=0

So (x1) is a factor.

f(x)=(x1)(4x2+17x+4)

=(x1)(4x2+1x+16x+4)

=(x1)(x(4x+1)+4(4x+1))

=(x1)(x+4)(4x+1)