MARANATHA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

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MATH 8

Name: __________________________________________________ Date: _______________________

Teacher: ________________________________________________ Grade/Section: ______________

WORKSHEETS

LESSON 6.4

FACTORING the SUM and DIFFERENCE of TWO CUBES

Steps in Factoring the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes

1. Extract the cube roots of the first and last terms of the given binomial to get the
Binomial factor.
2. Write the two terms of the binomial factor with the same sign as either the sum or the
difference of two cubes.
3. Square the first and last terms of the binomial factor to get the first and last terms of the
trinomial factor.
4. Take the product of the first and last terms of the binomial factor with the opposite
Sign of the given sum or difference of the two cubes for the middle term of the trinomial factor.

Sum: a3 + b3 = (a + b) (a2 -ab + b2)

Difference: a3 – b3 = (a - b) (a2 + ab + b2)

Case 1: Sum of Two Cubes Case 2: Difference of Two Cubes

EXAMPLES
1. Factor 8x3 + 27y3
Solution:
a3 = 8x3 -
take the cube root
a = 2x
b3 = 27y3 - take the cube root
b = 3y

8x3 + 27y3 = ( 2x + 3y) ( 2x)2 – (2x)(3y) + (3y)2

= (2x + 3y) ( 4x2 -6xy + 9y2)

2. Factor x3 + 27
Solution:
x3 + 27 = (x)3 +( 3)3
= ( x + 3 ) [ ( x )2 – (x) (3) + (3)2) ]
x3 + 27 = (x+3) ( x2 – 3x + 9)

3. Factor y3 – 8
Solution:
y3 – 8 = (y)3 – (2)3
= (y-2) [ ( (y)2 + (y) (2) + (2)2
y3 – 8 = (y – 2) (y2 + 2y + 4)

4. Factor 27x3 + 64y3

Solution:
27x3 + 64y3 = (3x)3 + (4y)3
= (3x + 4y) [ (3x)2 – (3x) (4y) + (4y)2]
= (3x + 4y) (9x2 – 12xy + 16y2)

5. Factor 125x3 – 27
Solution:
125x3 - 27 = (5x)3 – (3)3
= (5x – 3) [ (5x)2 + (5x) (3) + (3)2)]
= (5x – 3) (25x2 + 15x + 9)

A. LET’S TRY THIS!

Factor each sum or difference of cubes.
1. x3 + y3 = ______________________________
3 3
2. m – n = ______________________________
 3. 8p3 – q3 = ______________________________
3 3
4. 27a + b = ______________________________
3 3
5. 64r + s = ______________________________
3
6. 216 + t = ______________________________
3 3
7. 64x – 343y = ______________________________
3 3
8. 125c + 512d = ______________________________
3 3
9. 1000m – 64n = ______________________________
3 3
10. 343t + 216u = ______________________________

B. LET’S MOVE ON!

Factor each completely.
1) x 3 + 8 = _______________________________
3
2) a + 64 = _______________________________
3
3) a + 216 = _______________________________
3
4) 27 + 8 x = _______________________________
3
5) a − 216 = _______________________________
6) 64x3 – 27 = _______________________________
3
7) 27m − 125 = _______________________________
3
8) x – 64 = _______________________________
3
9) 432m + 250 = _______________________________
3
10) 81x + 192 = _______________________________
3
11) 500x + 256 = _______________________________
3
12) 81x + 24 = _______________________________
3
13) 864 -4u = _______________________________
3
14) 54x -215 = _______________________________
3
15) 108 – 4x = _______________________________
3
16) 375 – 81a = _______________________________
3 3
17) 125a + 64b = _______________________________
3 3
18) 648x + 3y = _______________________________
3
19) 216a3 – 125 b = _______________________________
20) 125x3 +216y3 = _______________________________