Digital Lesson

Factoring Polynomials

The simplest method of factoring a polynomial is to factor out the greatest common factor (GCF) of each term. Example: Factor 18x3 + 60x. 18x3 = 2 3 3 x x x = (2 3 x) 3 x x 60x = 2 2 3 5 x = (2 3 x) 2 5 GCF = 6x 18x3 + 60x = 6x (3x2) + 6x (10) = 6x (3x2 + 10)

Factor each term.

Find the GCF. Apply the distributive law to factor the polynomial.

Check the answer by multiplication. 6x (3x2 + 10) = 6x (3x2) + 6x (10) = 18x3 + 60x
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Example: GCF = 4.

Factor 4x2 12x + 20. = 4(x2 3x + 5) 4(x2 3x + 5) = 4x2 12x + 20

Check the answer.

A common binomial factor can be factored out of certain expressions. Example: Factor the expression 5(x + 1) y(x + 1). 5(x + 1) y(x + 1) = (x + 1) (5 y)
Check. (x + 1) (5 y) = 5(x + 1) y(x + 1)

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

A difference of two squares can be factored using the formula D.O.T.S. a2 b2 = (a + b)(a b). Example: Factor x2 9y2. x2 9y2 = (x)2 (3y)2 Write terms as perfect squares. = (x + 3y)(x 3y) Use the formula.

The same method can be used to factor any expression which can be written as a difference of squares. Example: Factor (x + 1)2 25y 4. (x + 1)2 25y 4 = (x + 1)2 (5y2)2
= [(x + 1) + (5y2)][(x + 1) (5y2)] = (x + 1 + 5y2)(x + 1 5y2)
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Some polynomials can be factored by grouping terms to produce a common binomial factor. Examples: 1. Factor 2xy + 3y 4x 6.
Notice the sign!

2xy + 3y 4x 6 = (2xy + 3y) (4x + 6) Group terms. = y (2x + 3) 2(2x + 3) Factor each pair of terms. = (2x + 3) ( y 2) Factor out the common
binomial.

2. Factor 2a2 + 3bc 2ab 3ac. 2a2 + 3bc 2ab 3ac = 2a2 2ab + 3bc 3ac Rearrange terms. = (2a2 2ab) + (3bc 3ac) Group terms. = 2a(a b) + 3c(b a) Factor. = 2a(a b) 3c(a b) = (a b) (2a 3c)
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

b a = (a b). Factor.
5

To factor a simple trinomial of the form x2 + bx + c, express the trinomial as the product of two binomials. For example,

x2 + 10x + 24 = (x + 4)(x + 6).

Factoring these trinomials is based on reversing the FOIL process. Example: Factor x2 + 3x + 2. x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + a)(x + b) F O I L = x2 + bx + ax + ba = x2 + (b + a) x + ba
Express the trinomial as a product of two binomials with leading term x and unknown constant terms a and b.

Apply FOIL to multiply the binomials.

Since ab = 2 and a + b = 3, it follows that a = 1 and b = 2. (Product-sum method)

= x2 + (1 + 2) x + 1 2

Therefore, x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 1)(x + 2).

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Example: Factor x2 8x + 15. x2 8x + 15 = (x + a)(x + b) = x2 + (a + b)x + ab Therefore a + b = -8 and ab = 15. It follows that both a and b are negative. Negative Factors of 15 Sum

- 1, - 15
-3, - 5 x2 8x + 15 = (x 3)(x 5).

-15
-8

Check: (x 3)(x 5) = x2 5x 3x + 15 = x2 8x + 15.

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

13 36. Example: Factor x2 + 13x + 36 x2 + 13x + 36 = (x + a)(x + b)

= x2 + (a + b) x + ab Therefore a and b are: two positive factors of 36 whose sum is 13.
Positive Factors of 36 Sum

1, 36
2, 18 3, 12 4, 9 6, 6 x2 + 13x + 36 = (x + 4)(x + 9)

37
20 15 13 12

Check: (x + 4)(x + 9) = x2 + 9x + 4x + 36 = x2 + 13x + 36.

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

A polynomial is factored completely when it is written as a product of factors that can not be factored further. Example: Factor 4x3 40x2 + 100x. 4x3 40x2 + 100x = 4x(x2 10x + 25) = 4x(x 5)(x 5)
The GCF is 4x. Use distributive property to factor out the GCF. Factor the trinomial.

Check: 4x(x 5)(x 5) = 4x(x2 5x 5x + 25) = 4x(x2 10x + 25)

= 4x3 40x2 + 100x

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Factoring complex trinomials of the form ax2 + bx + c, (a 1) can be done by decomposition or cross-check method. Example: Factor 3x2 + 8x + 4. Decomposition Method
1. Find the product of first and last terms 3. Rewrite the middle term decomposed into the two numbers 4. Factor by grouping in pairs 2. We need to find factors of 12 whose sum is 8

3 4 = 12 1, 12 2, 6 3, 4

3x2 + 2x + 6x + 4

= (3x2 + 2x) + (6x + 4)

= x(3x + 2) + 2(3x + 2) = (3x + 2) (x + 2)

3x2 + 8x + 4 = (3x + 2) (x + 2)
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

10

Example: Factor 4x2 + 8x 5.

We need to find factors of 20 whose difference is 8

4 5 = 20 1, 20 2, 10 4, 5

Rewrite the middle term decomposed into the two numbers Factor by grouping in pairs

4x2 2x + 10x 5
= (4x2 2x) + (10x 5) = 2x(2x 1) + 5(2x 1)

= (2x 1) (2x + 5)

4x2 + 8x 5 = (2x 1)(2x 5)

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

11