We can multiply polynomials by using a GRID METHOD
Write one of the polynomials across the top and the other down the left side.
$$ \begin{darray}{|c|c|c|c|}\hline & \color{blue}{x^2} & \color{blue}{2x} & \color{blue}{1} \\ \hline \color{blue}{x} & & & \\ \hline \color{blue}{-1} & & & \\ \hline \end{darray} $$Fill in each empty box by multiplying the intersecting terms.
$$ \begin{darray}{|c|c|c|c|}\hline & \color{blue}{x^2} & \color{blue}{2x} & \color{blue}{1} \\ \hline \color{blue}{x} & \color{orangered}{x^3} & \color{orangered}{2x^2} & \color{orangered}{x} \\ \hline \color{blue}{-1} & \color{orangered}{-x^2} & \color{orangered}{-2x} & \color{orangered}{-1} \\ \hline \end{darray} $$Combine like terms:
$$ x^3 + 2x^2-x^2 + x-2x-1 = \\ x^3+x^2-x-1 $$