Name: _____________________________________ Date:_________________________

Guided Notes (Factoring Polynomials)

RECALL

O What is a polynomial?

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O Standard form of a polynomial?

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O Why would factoring be important?

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TYPES OF POLYNOMIALS

Linear polynomials

Quadratic polynomials

Cubic polynomials

STEP 1 FOR FACTORING

● Isolate everything in the equations onto one side of the equal sign.
● Write terms in standard form.
● If the leading term is positive, keep as is.
● If the leading term is negative, multiply both sides of the equal sign by a negative one.
 NOW YOU TRY

(x^2) + 4 = -(x)

2 - 3(x^2) + 5(x) = 1

(x^2) - 4 = 4

STEP 2 FOR FACTORING

● Write out the factors of the product of the first and last coefficients.
● Only one set of factors will then add up to the second coefficient.

NOW YOU TRY

(x^2) + 3(x) + 2 = 0

(x^2) - 10(x) + 25 = 0

(x^2) + 30(x) + 11 = 0
 STEPS 3 AND 4 FOR FACTORING
● The two factors that sum to the second factor shall be written as the product of two
terms.
● Set each individual term equal to 0 and solve for the variable by isolating it.

NOW YOU TRY

factor1 = 2, factor2 = 4

factor1 = -3, factor2 = 1

factor1 = -7, factor2 = -5

FLOWCHART FOR STEPS FOR FACTORING

 ACTIVITY TIME

O What is a polynomial?

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O For the following, solve for x: (x^2) + 6(x) + 2= -6

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O For the following, solve for x: (x^2) - 5(x) + 3 = -3

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