a) \(x^4-2x^3+2x-1\)
\(=x^4-x^3-x^3+2x-2+1\)
\(=\left(x^4-x^3\right)+\left(2x-2\right)-\left(x^3-1\right)\)
\(=x^3\left(x-1\right)+2\left(x-1\right)-\left(x-1\right)\left(x^2+x+1\right)\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)\left(x^3+2-x^2-x-1\right)\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)\left(x^3-x^2-x+1\right)\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)\left[\left(x^3-x^2\right)-\left(x-1\right)\right]\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)\left[x^2\left(x-1\right)-\left(x-1\right)\right]\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)\left(x^2-1\right)\left(x-1\right)\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)^2\left(x-1\right)\left(x+1\right)\)
\(=\left(x-1\right)^3\left(x+1\right)\)
b) \(x^4+2x^3+2x^2+2x+1\)
\(=\left(x^4+2x^2+1\right)+\left(2x^3+2x\right)\)
\(=\left(x^2+1\right)^2+2x\left(x^2+1\right)\)
\(=\left(x^2+1\right)\left(x^2+1+2x\right)\)
\(=\left(x^2+1\right)\left(x+1\right)^2\)