Re: Factoring problem
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg35504] Re: [mg35499] Factoring problem
- From: Adriano Pascoletti <pascolet at dimi.uniud.it>
- Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 02:08:49 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <200207160850.EAA24993@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Steven, use FullSimplify: FullSimplify[y^4 - (p + q)*y^3 + (p^2*q + p*q^2)*y - p^2*q^2] yields (p - y)*(-q + y)*(p*q - y^2) Adriano Pascoletti At 4:50 -0400 16-07-2002, Steven Hodgen wrote: >Hello, > >I've decided to see if any of you can factor this eq. since it's not >possible to have Mathematica show intermediate steps when factoring. This >is a problem from my precalc book, and the instructor of the class hasn't >been able to get to the final answer either. I've tried and tried using >grouping in various ways, as well as other techniques. > >I'd appreciate it if anyone can figure this out, since I just can't get over >this problem. > >Original problem: > y^4 - (p + q)*y^3 + (p^2*q + p*q^2)*y - p^2*q^2 >Answer in book: > (y^2 - p*q)*(y - p)*(y - q) > >Thanks! > >--Steven
- References:
- Factoring problem
- From: "Steven Hodgen" <shodgen@mindspring.com>
- Factoring problem