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by **rhino182** on Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:52 am

Need some help factoring this problem

2xy^3+4x^2y-18x^3*y^2

Thanks Ryan

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by **stapel_eliz** on Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:47 pm

rhino182 wrote:2xy^3+4x^2y-18x^3*y^2

The first step is to check for any common factors, and then factor them out front. In your case, the polynomial is:

. . . . . $2xy^3\, +\, 4x^2 y\, -\, 18x^3 y^2$

The terms factor as:

. . . . . $2xy^3\, =\, 2xyyy\, =\, (2xy)(yy)\, =\, (2xy)(y^2)$

. . . . . $4x^2 y\, =\, (2)(2)xxy\, =\, (2xy)(2x)$

. . . . . $18x^3 y^2\, =\, (2)(3)(3)xxxyy\, =\, (2xy)[(3)(3)xxy]\, =\, (2xy)(9x^2 y)$

Can you see the common factor? Take that out front.

Then check to see if what's left inside the parentheses (what you took the common factor of out) factors. (In this case, it does not.)

Have fun!

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Advanced factoring: 2xy^3 + 4x^2y - 18x^3*y^2

Advanced factoring: 2xy^3 + 4x^2y - 18x^3*y^2