Interpret complex polynomial/rational expressions by treating parts as single units.
Interpret a repeated factor using its context
Problem
Classify \((x~-~2)^2\) in a factored polynomial. State the repeated factor, its zero, and its multiplicity.
Big Picture
What this problem is really about
Keep the base factor and its exponent conceptually separate. The base determines where the factor becomes zero, while the exponent records how many times that same zero is repeated. Squaring one factor therefore changes multiplicity, not the number of distinct zero locations.
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