Questions: Solve the equation by factoring. (Enter your answers as a comma-separated list.)
a^3+3 a^2-16 a-48=0
a=
Transcript text: Solve the equation by factoring. (Enter your answers as a comma-separated list.)
\[
\begin{array}{l}
a^{3}+3 a^{2}-16 a-48=0 \\
a=\square
\end{array}
\]
Solution
Solution Steps
To solve the cubic equation by factoring, we first look for possible rational roots using the Rational Root Theorem. Once a root is found, we can use polynomial division to factor the cubic polynomial into a product of a linear factor and a quadratic factor. Finally, we solve the quadratic equation to find the remaining roots.
Step 1: Identify the Equation
We start with the cubic equation given by:
\[
a^{3} + 3a^{2} - 16a - 48 = 0
\]
Step 2: Find the Roots
By factoring the cubic polynomial, we find the roots of the equation. The roots are: