How do you factor $a^3 - 2a^2 - 4a = -8$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-02-11T04:00:17

You must mean to ask how to solve the equation.

Put everything to one side of the equation:

$a^3 - 2a^2 - 4a + 8 = 0$

Factor out a common factor from two groups: the first 2 terms and last 2 terms.

$a^2(a - 2) - 4(a - 2) = 0$

$(a^2 - 4)(a - 2) = 0$

$(a + 2)(a - 2)(a - 2) = 0$

$a = -2 and 2$

The polynomial is completely factored and the solution set is $a = +-2$ .

Hopefully this helps.

How do you factor a^3 - 2a^2 - 4a = -8a^3 - 2a^2 - 4a = -8?