19.

1 Rationals & surds

EXAMINING FACTORS

Factors, sums, differences and signs all play an important part in factorising quadratic trinomials.

TASK 1 Match forms

Match each quadratic expression to its factored form.

Expanded form Factored form

a x2 + 14x + 24 A (x – 8)(x + 3)

b x2 + 10x – 24
c x2 + 10x + 24
d x2 – 10x + 24
e x2 – 5x – 24
f x2 + 5x – 24
B (x – 6)(x – 4)
C (x + 12)(x – 2)
D (x + 8)(x – 3)
E (x + 12)(x + 2)
F (x + 6)(x + 4)

TASK 2 Complete the expressions

Complete each quadratic expression below in at least three different ways making sure that each of
your expressions can be factorised. Include the factored form with each of your examples. Restrict
your factored forms to those containing integers.

a x +
2
?x + 18 (The missing coefficient must be positive.)

b x2 – 8x + ? (The missing constant term must be positive.)

c x2 ? ?x + 12 (Both the sign and the coefficient are missing.)

d x2 + 4x ?? (Both the sign and the constant term are missing.)

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