Question

The product of three integers is -3. Determine all of the possible values for the three factors.

Answer 1

1,1,-3
-1,1,3
The third possibility is the same as the second (-1,1,3 is the same as 1,-1,3)

Answer 2

The possible values for the three factors are (1,1,-3), (-1,-1,-3) and (-1,1,3).

Explanation:

It is given that the product of three integers is -3.

We need to find all of the possible values for the three factors.

Factors of -3 are
`\pm 1,\pm 3`.

We know that the factored form of -3 are

`-3=1* 1* (-3)`

`-3=-1* -1* (-3)`

`-3=-1* 1* 3`

`-3=1* -1* 3`

But last two factors represents the same possibility, i.e., (-1,1,3).

Therefore, the possible values for the three factors are (1,1,-3), (-1,-1,-3) and (-1,1,3).