John Lennon Math Old Stuff 1.

Factor: 45x 20x 3

Name:________________________

2. Factor: 10 x 3 13x 2 3x

Important Stuff: Heres the important fact that well use over and over today: i 2 1 We know how to do arithmetic. We can add, subtract, multiply, divide and raise numbers to powers. We can ever do that with algebraic expressions and radicals. Today, were going to do that same arithmetic with one little change there is one new number, i , and it has the property that i 2 1 . Lets start by raising i to higher powers. 1. i i i i 2. i 4 3. i 5 4. i 6 5. i12 6. i13 7. i14 8. i16 9. i 20 10. i 40 11. i 63

John Lennon Math

Name:________________________

Lets talk, now, about the other operations of arithmetic. Dont worry about being wrong just try to make sure everything is consistent with the math that you already know. Lets multiply numbers with this new number. 12. 3i 5i 13. 5(3 2i) 14. (2 i)(5 2i) 15. (2 3i)(2 3i) 16. (5 i)(5 i) 17. 3i(2 i) Addition time! 17. i 3i 18. i (3 i) 19. (2 i) (3 2i) 20. (3 i) 1(2 i)

Interesting Stuff: 22. Invent something like a number line, but make sure it has room for these new numbers.

23. Put two numbers on your number line. Multiply them together. Put the sum on the number line. What do you notice?

John Lennon Math

Name:________________________

This was on yesterdays handout, but here it is again. Another method for factoring is the box method. If you read this yesterday and want to practice with it, here are some tough factoring problems that you can try out with this.
300x 2 310 120 36x 2 43x 12 20x 4 166x 3 120x 48x 3 154x 2 20 x

Read on if this method is new for you: One way of thinking about multiplying binomials is finding the area of a rectangle: +2 3x

2x
+5

6x 2

+10

1. Fill out the rest of the box, and express the area of the box as a trinomial. 2. Multiply the two missing boxes together. What do they equal?

John Lennon Math

Name:________________________

3. Fill out the rest of this box as well:

10 x
2x

+3

+1

+3

4. Multiply the top right box by the bottom left box. What do they equal? Notice a pattern yet? 5. Suppose that we have a completed box. Then its not too hard to find the stuff that goes on top and on the side of the box. Give that a shot, here:
30x 2

-6x -14

+70x

6. Lets use this pattern for our advantage. Lets say that we have a trinomial to factor: 24 x 2 2 x 2 . Lets fill out as much of the box as we can.
24x 2

-2 What is the product of the top right and the bottom left corners? What do they have to add up to?

7. Why does this work? Why does the product of the top left and the bottom right have to equal the product of the top right and the bottom left? 8. Why do the top right and the bottom left boxes have to add up to b in ax 2 bx c ?