# Math Help - Horrible Factorization

1. ## Horrible Factorization

Again, to factorize; not solve..

$
x^(3a+2) + 3x^(2a+2) - 5x^2
$

$
-5x^2 + x^(3a+2) + x^(2a+2)
$

$
x^-0.5( -5x^(2.5) + 3^(2a+2.5) + 1^(3a+2.5))
$
*Not too sure about this step, went off-track here, i think..

2. Originally Posted by BobBali
Again, to factorize; not solve..
$x^{(3a+2)} + 3x^{(2a+2)} - 5x^2$
$-5x^2 + x^(3a+2) + x^(2a+2)
$

$x^{-0.5}( -5x^{(2.5)} + 3^{(2a+2.5)} + 1^{(3a+2.5)})
$
*Not too sure about this step, went off-track here, i think.
If you have more than one character in an exponent, set off the whole exponent in braces.
$$x^{(3a+2)} + 3x^{(2a+2)} - 5x^2$$ gives $
x^{(3a+2)} + 3x^{(2a+2)} - 5x^2
$

Please edit your post to correct exponents.

3. Hello, BobBali!

Didn't you PREVIEW your post?
You didn't see that it didn't come out clearly?

And how did you manage to factor out $x^{-\frac{1}{2}}$ ? . . . And why?

Like Plato, I'll guess at what you meant.

$\text{Factor: }\;x^{3a+2} + 3x^{2a+2} - 5x^2$

Take another look at what we have: . $x^{3a}\!\cdot\!x^2 + 3\!\cdot\!x^{2a}\!\cdot\!x^2 - 5\!\cdot\!x^2$

Factor out $x^2\!:\;\;x^2\left(x^{3a} + 3x^{2a} - 5)$

. . and that's the best we can do.