Decomposing a sum of cubes is based on a particular formula: a^3 + b^3 = (a + b)(a^2 - ab + b^2). In this equation, "a" and "b" stand for the cubic roots of the first and second terms respectively. This process effectively simplifies the original cubic expression into the multiplication of a two-term and a three-term polynomial.
| Topic | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| None | Factor the polynomial expression \(x^3 + 8\). | Recognize that \(x^3 + 8\) is a sum of cubes. In general, the sum of cubes can be factored as \(a^3… |