Factoring the Expression: (x^2 + x + 1)^2 + 2x(x^2 + x + 1) + x^2
This expression looks complex at first glance, but it can be simplified by recognizing a pattern and applying some algebraic techniques.
Recognizing the Pattern
Notice that the expression resembles a perfect square trinomial. We can rewrite the expression as:
(x^2 + x + 1)^2 + 2(x^2 + x + 1)(x) + x^2
This is similar to the expansion of (a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2. Let's substitute:
- a = (x^2 + x + 1)
- b = x
Now, the expression becomes:
a^2 + 2ab + b^2
Applying the Perfect Square Trinomial
We can now factor the expression using the perfect square trinomial pattern:
(a + b)^2
Substituting back the values of 'a' and 'b', we get:
[(x^2 + x + 1) + x]^2
Simplifying the Expression
Finally, simplifying the expression:
(x^2 + 2x + 1)^2
This is the factored form of the original expression.
Conclusion
By recognizing the pattern of a perfect square trinomial and applying the corresponding formula, we successfully factored the complex expression: (x^2 + x + 1)^2 + 2x(x^2 + x + 1) + x^2 into its simplified form (x^2 + 2x + 1)^2.