Name: Gary

Who is asking: Student

Question:
24x 4 + 3x



Hi Gary,

You didn't include any instructions so I am going to assume that you are to factor this expression.

To factor you need to be really familar with the numbers and factoring patterns. For example, in your expression,

24x 4 + 3x the coefficient of the first term is 24 and the coefficient of the second term is 3. What I see is that 24 is 3 * 8 (I am using * for multiplication) and hence I can write 24x 4 + 3x = 3*8x 4 + 3x Now I can see that 3 is a common factor so, 24x 4 + 3x = 3*8x 4 + 3x = 3(8x 4 + x) It is clear now that x is also a common factor (x 4 = x*x 3) and hence 24x 4 + 3x = 3(8x 4 + x) = 3x(8x 3 + 1)

I don't know what patterns you have seen in your lessons on factoring but I see another pattern here. Since 2 3 = 8 the expression 8x 3 + 1 = (2x) 3 + 1 3 can be factored as a sum of cubes.

Chers,
Penny
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