Which statement is true of x2 + 8x – 6?

Use the factor theorem: a binomial (x − r) is a factor if substituting r into x² + 8x − 6 gives 0. Testing the listed possibilities gives f(2) = 14, f(−2) = −18, and f(4) = 42, so none of the proposed binomials is a factor. The discriminant is 8² − 4(1)(−6) = 88, which is not a perfect square, so the polynomial has no rational factors and is prime; the true statement is “The polynomial is prime.”

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