How to Factor Polynomials Online
- 1). Find a polynomial calculator online that calculates polynomials' roots (see Resources).
- 2). Enter your polynomial according to the syntax that the calculator requires. The web pages linked to in the resources section below each give an example of how a polynomial should be entered.
- 3). Take the roots r1, r2, etc. that the calculator outputs and form a factorization with them: (x-r1)(x-r2).... The Junque site gives you the factorization directly, not just the roots.
- 4). Add a coefficient to the front of the factorization to make it equal to the polynomial with which you started out.
For example, if the calculator returns roots 3 and -2 for 2x^2-2x-12, then (x-3)(x+2) isn't your original polynomial. You'll have to multiply the factorization by 2 to get the original. I.e. 2x^2-2x-12 = 2(x-3)(x+2).
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