Respuesta :
Answer:
(x - 3)(x - 2)(x + 2)
Step-by-step explanation:
Given
x³ - 3x² - 4x + 12 ( factor the first/second and third/fourth terms )
= x²(x - 3) - 4(x - 3) ← factor out (x - 3) from each term
= (x - 3)(x² - 4) ← x² - 4 is a difference of squares and factors in general as
a² - b² = (a - b)(a + b), thus
x² - 4
= x² - 2²
= (x - 2)(x + 2)
Thus
x³ - 3x² - 4x + 12 = (x - 3)(x - 2)(x + 2) ← in factored form
Answer:
(x - 2)(x - 3)(x + 2).
Step-by-step explanation:
The Factor Theorem states that if x - a is a factor of f(x) the f(a) = 0.
f(x) = x^3 - 3x^2 - 4x + 12
We try the factors of 12:
f(2) = 2^3 - 3*4 - 8 +12
= 8 - 12 - 8 + 12 = 0
- so (x - 2) is a factor of f(x)
Dividing:
x^2 - x - 6 <-----------Quotient
-----------------------------
x - 2 )x^3 - 3x^2 - 4x + 12
x^3 - 2x^2
-x^2 - 4x
-x^2 + 2x
-6x + 12
-6x + 12
So we factor x^2 - x - 6:
= (x - 3)(x + 2)