This is what they teach us at school! Part 2

This problem using the factor theorem.

We can take $x^{3}$ + 8 $x^{2}$ + ax - 2 as the function f(x)

As $x^{3}$ + 8 $x^{2}$ + ax - 2 is dividable by x - 1,

f(1) = $1^{3}$ + $8\times 1^{2}$ + ax - 2 = 0

f(1) = 1 +8(1) + a - 2 = 0

f(1) = 9 - 2 + a = 0

f(1) = 7 +a =0 f(1) = a = $\boxed {-7}$

easy put x=1 ............then the equation equals 0

For this problem, we can easily use synthetic division. a=-7.

When $x^3+8x^2+ax-2$ is divisible by $(x-1)$ , it means-

$1^3+8(1)^2+a(1)-2 = 0$ which gives us

$a = \boxed{-7}$ .