FACTORING POLYNOMIALS (PAGE 2)
3 Terms
Factoring when the leading
coefficient is 1…
x2 + bx + c
(x ± n1)(x ± n2)
1. Find the factors of c.
2. Which set when multiplied
give you c, and when added
give you b?
__n1___ • __n2___ = C
__n1___ + __n2___ = b
Remember…
When you are filling in the
parenthesis, put the left side of the
x in the first set and the right side
of the x in the second set. you are
working from the bottom of the
fraction to the top (a first, then the
n).
Factoring when the leading coefficient is
any number but 1…
ax2 + bx + c
To do this you will use the “magic X”
𝒂𝒄
𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐
𝒂 𝒂
𝒃
1. Multiply a and c and put that number in the
top of the x. This is the number you are going
to factor.
2. Put the value of a on both the left and right
sides of the x.
3. Put b at the bottom of the x. This is the
number that when the two factors of ac are
added they will equal this number.
4. Once you have found the correct set of
factors, put the first one in n1 and the other in
n2.
5. Reduce both fractions (if possible) to the
smallest they can be.
6. Make your two sets of parenthesis and fill
in as follows…
( 𝒂 ± n1 )( 𝒂 ± n2 )