Algebra 1 -tutorial ---factoring and solving equations

Factoring is a simple procedure...You collect similar or like terms and

fish out common 'factors'.The rest are put within brackets.After doing
a few examples, you will feel comfortable...not much theory, but some
imagination on your part to 'factor out' the various terms.

Grouping
Let us take a simple example: y = 3 X - 12
Consider the two terms, 3x and 12. We can write 12 = 3 x4
What is common to both the terms?: number 3
Let us 'factor out' 3 from both the terms.

We get: y = 3X - 3x4 = 3 (x - 4 )

2. Let us see another example; z = ax+ay + bx + by

Look at the first two terms: a is common to both; likewise, 'b' is common to third
and fourth terms.
Therefore
z = a ( x + y) + b ( x + y )

now look at the equation again. (x + y) is common to both the terms:

z = ( a + b ) ( x + y)

Expanding the terms -- FOIL method.

Often we have expressions which are products to two terms:

y=( a +b )( c+d )
Then expanding means we get four terms:
First: multiply the first quantity in both brackets: a.c
Outer: the two outer quantities: a.d
Inner: the two quantities inner,close to each other: bc
Last: multiply the second quantity in each bracket: bd.

Therefore y = ac + ad + bc + bd.
This is the FOIL method which you learn after some practice:

Here are some examples :

1 . (x + 2 ) ( x + 3) = x^2 + 3x + 2x +6 = x^2 + 5x + 6

2. (3x -2) ( 2x - 1) F = 3x.2x=6x^2

O= 3x (-1) = -3x
I = (-2)(2x) = -4x
L = (-2)(-1) = 2
So, we get (3x-2) (2x-1) = 6x^2 -3x -4x + 2
= 6x^2 - 7x + 2

3. (2x + 3)(5x-4) = 10 x ^2 - 8x +15x - 3(-4)

= 10X^2 + 7x - 12.
Do it Yourself!

4. ( 5x - 1) (2x + 3) =

5. ( X + 3) (x + 4) =

6. ( a + 5) ( a - 3) =

Factoring by Guessing?!

Many times we factor expressions by guessing some numbers.Consider this

example:

x.x + 5x +6 = 0
You have to guess two numbers, say , m and n so that
m+n = 5 [the middle number]
m.n = 6 [the third number]

Guess what? You know the numbers. m = 3 n=2 Roght?

Now you simply write: (x+m)(x+n) =0
( x + 3) (x+ 2) = 0
Check this with expanding it---use foil method: (x + 3)(x+2)= x.x + 2x + 3x + 6
= x.x + 5x + 6
You can solve this equation easily: x+3 =0 or x = -3
and x+2 = 0 or x = -2
The two solutions are: x = -3 , x = -2

1.Let us see some more examples to get the method of guessing under our
mental grip.
x.x + 6x + 9 = 0
Now guess two numbers, m & n; m = 3 & n = 3 Right!
[The expression is called TRINOMIAL because it has three (tri) terms!]

(x+3 ) ( x + 3) =0 or (x + 3 ) ^ 2 = 0
Solving we get: x+3 =0 or x = -3 {Only one solution here.]

2. Factor and solve : x.x + x - 6 = 0

Again guess two numbers: One number can be negative because m.n= -6
Guess what? m+n = 1
Think for a moment: m=3 n= -2 -----Got it right!
( x + 3) ( x -2)=0
Check with FOIL method.
Solving: x= -3 and x=2 are the solutions.

3. Factor and solve: x.x - 6x + 8 = 0

Here m+n = -6 m.n=8
Since m.n is positive, both the numbers must have the same sign.
Let m = -4 n= -2 Right?!
The problem is done now! (x-4)(x -2) = 0
or x=4 , and x = 2

Study the three examples once again.You find that m and n can be both positive
numbers or one of them negative or both negative....Keep this in mind..the
guessing becomes easier...

Now for some "Do It Yourself" problems:

Factor and solve:
4. x.x + 7x + 12 = 0
5. x.x + 7x + 10 =0
6. x.x + 7x + 6 = 0
7. x.x - 7x + 12 =0
8. x.x - 7x +10 = 0
9. x.x - x -30 = 0
10. x.x + x - 12 = 0

Some interesting word problems

1 Sarah's age is 6, his brother is elder to him.The sum of their ages is equal
to 15. Find the age of her brother.
Let her brother's age be x years.
The sum of their ages = Sum = 6 + X = 15
6 + X = 15
6 -6 + x = 15 - 6
X=9
Her brother's age is 9.

2. The sum of two consecutive odd numbers is 24 .Find the numbers.

Let the number be X. The consecutive odd number is x+2.

x + ( x + 2) = 24
x + x + 2 = 24
2 x + 2 = 24
 2x + 2 -2 = 24 - 2
2x = 22
x = 22/2 = 11
x+2 = 13
The consecutive odd numbers are: 11 and 13.

3.The length of a rectangular park is 9 yards more than the width .The area of
the park is 36 square yards. Find the length and width of the park.

The area of the park is length x width.

Let the width be x. The length of the park = x + 9.

Area = length x width = x (x + 9) = 36

x.x + 9 x = 36

x.x + 9 x - 36 = 0
(x + 12) ( x-3) = 0 [ Check this step with FOIL
method]
x+ 12 = 0 or x =-12
Now the width cannot be negative! so we reject this solution.
Take x - 3 =0 or x = 3 ...therefore the width of the park is 3 yards and length is
x+9 or 12 yards.

4 The length of a rectangular garden is 5 more than 3 times the width.The area
is 42 square feet.Find the length.
Start with width. Let the width be W.
Then length is : L = 3 W + 5
Now the area A = L x W = ( 3 W + 5 ).W = 3WW + 5W = 42
3WW +5W - 42 = 0
We have to solve the above equation and find W.
3 ww + 14w - 9w -42 = 0
( 3w +14) ( w - 3)=0

The solution 3w+ 14=0 means that w=-14/3 ----Since width cannot be
negative,we reject this solution.
But w - 3 =0 is Okay w=3
Therefore width is 3 feet, length is : L = 3w+ 5 = 3 x 3 + 5=14 feet.
Check: area = length x width = 14 x 3 = 42 square feet.

5 A business problem is taken up here:

A company making calculators sells x pieces per week.The price of
each calculator is p.As price increases, the sales drop, a common experience in
any business. John ,the manager, finds that x is related to p as follows: x=
1700 - 100 p
If John wants a weekly revenue of $7000, what should be the price?
Revenue is the money received by selling goods. Revenue R = price x number
sold
R = p.x = p ( 1700 - 100 p) = 7000
Therefore 1700 p - 100 p.p = 7000
Dividing by 100, we get 17p - p.p = 70
or 17 p - p.p - 70 = 0
or p.p - 17p + 70 = 0
Let us solve this equation: p.p - 10p - 7p +70 = 0

(p - 10)(p - 7) = 0
Therefore p- 10 = 0 or p=10 is one solution.
The other solution is : p- 7 = 0 or p=7
Therefore John can sell at prices either $10 or $ 7.
Why two solutions? Think for a moment. John can sell at the lower price;it will
bring in more customers!

6 A Physics problem here:

A rocket is fired vertically with a pseed of 176 feet per second.Its height
h at any time t after firing is given by the equation:
h = -16 t.t + 176 t
At what time, the rocket will be at 480 feet height?

Let us first set up the equation: 480 = - 16t.t + 176 t

 16 t.t -176 t + 480 = 0

Divide by 16 : t.t - 11 t + 30 = 0
Now factor the equation be guesing two numbers: ( t - 6 )( t - 5) = 0
Solve now! t = 6 or t = 5
Well, the height of the rocket reaches 480 feet at 5 seconds and at 6
seconds...Why two solutions!....think smart, dummy! the rocket goes up and
comes down!

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To sum up:
-- Use distributive property or FOIL method to expand the expression.
--- Use grouping to factor
--- Use number guessing for trinomials to factor and solve.
There are faster methods you will use later on.
---With practice comes speed.
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