Final answer:
The first step in factoring the trinomial x^2-3x-40 is to list all the factors of 40.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in the process for factoring the trinomial x^2-3x-40 is to list all the factors of 40. This is because we need to find two numbers that multiply to -40 and add up to -3, which are the coefficients of the x terms. By listing the factors of 40, we can determine which two numbers satisfy this condition. Once we find the correct factors, we can use them to factor the trinomial and solve the equation.