Question

What is the factorization or the trinomial below? -2x^3+2x^2+12x

Answer 1

Answer: C. −2x(x−3)(x+2)

Explanation:

1. Find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF).

GCF=2x

2. Factor out the GCF. (Write the GCF first. Then, in parentheses, divide each term by the GCF.)

2x(2x^3/2x+−2x^2/2x+−12x/2x)

3. Simplify each term in parentheses.

−2x(x^2−x−6)

4. Factor x^2−x−6

−2x(x−3)(x+2)

Answer 2

The answer is C because the 2x outside of the brackers must be negative to produce the beginning term. The next terms are positive and two negatives make a positive, therefore we can conclude that there must be a negative inside the brackets too.