<s>[INST] Factoring a difference of 2 cubes I am trying to factorize the expression $(a - 2)^3 - (a + 1)^3$ and obviously I would want to put it in the form of $(a - b)(a^2 + ab + b^2)$
So I start off with the first $(a - b)$ and I get $(a - 2) - (a + 1)$ which I simplify from $(a^2 + a -2a -2)$ to $(a^2 -3a -2)$
Now I'm up to $(a^2 + ab + b^2)$ and I $a^2$ would equal to $(a^2 - 4)$, $ab$ would be $(a - 2) * (a + 1)$ which is $(a^2 + a -2a -2)$  and $b^2$ would be $(a^2 + 1)$..
Then we get $(a^2 - 3a - 2)((a^2 - 4) (a^2 + a - 4a)(a^2 + 1)) $
At this point I get confused because I'm not sure if I did anything correct, and I don't know how to continue this. Any help is much appreciated
Regards,
 [/INST] Brute force algebra gives us
$$
(a-2)^3 - (a+1)^3 
= (a^3 -6a^2 + 12a - 8) - (a^3 + 3a^2 + 3a +1)
= -9(a^2 - a + 1)
$$
But $a^2 - a + 1$ doesn't have any factors (not real ones, anyway).
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