Method 2: Factorization Method

 Let ax 2  bx  c  0 be a general quadratic equation, where a is the leading coefficient, b is

coefficient of x and c is the constant.
 Product of the roots any quadratic equation is obtained by multiplying leading coefficient
by constant i.e. a  c  ac is the product of the general quadratic equation given above and sum Page | 1
of the roots any quadratic equation is coefficient of x i.e. b is its sum of the general quadratic given
above.

Examples:
Determine the roots of the following equations:

a) x2  6 x  9  0
b) 4 x 2  25  0
c) 4 x2  8x  3  0
d) x2  8x  7  0
Solution (a)

x2  6 x  9  0  a  1, b  6 and c  9. product  a  c  1 9  9, sum  b  6

Two factors that give 9 as their product and  6 as their sum are  3 and  3.
We see that  6 x is just  3 x  3 x. so
x 2  3x  3x  9  0  pair terms and factorize. x is common in the first pair and  3 in the second pair 
x  x  3  3  x  3  0 factorize  x  3  
 x  3 x  3  0 set  x  3 to 0 
x  3  0 or x  3  0
x  3 or x  3

Solution (b)

4 x 2  25  0  the difference of two squares technique can work it states; a 2  b 2   a  b  a  b  

2 2 x 2  52  0  know that 4  2 2 

 2x  52  0  know that 2 2 x 2   2 x  

2 2
 
 2 x  5 2 x  5  0 difference of two squares, set the two factors to 0
2 x  5  0 or 2 x  5  0
5 5
x or x  
2 2

Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Or

4 x 2  25  0
4 x 2  0 x  25  0in the form ax 2  bx  c  0, product  4  25  100, sum  b  0 
Two factors that give product of  100 and sum of 0 are 10 and  10. so
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4 x 2  10 x  10 x  25  0  pair and factorize 
2 x  2 x  5  5  2 x  5  0
 2 x  5  2 x  5   0
2 x  5  0 or 2 x  5  0
5 5
x or x  
2 2

Solution (c)

4 x2  8x  3  0  Product  a  c  4  3  12, and sum  b  8 

Two factors that give product of 12 and sum of 8 are 2 and 6. i.e 6  2  12 and 6  2  8, so
4x2  2x  6x  3  0  pair and factorize
2 x  2 x  1  3  2 x  1  0  factorize again 
 2 x  1  2 x  3  0 set the two factors to 0
2 x  1  0 or 2 x  3  0
2 x  1 or 2 x  3
1 3
x or x  
2 2

Solution (d)

x2  8x  7  0  product  a  c  1 7  7 and sum  b  8.

Two factors that give product of 7 and sum of 8 are 1 and 7. i.e 1 7  7 and 1+7  8.
x2  x  7 x  7  0  pair and factorize 
x  x  1  7  x  1  0  factorize again 
 x  1 x  7   0 set both factors to 0
x  1  0 or x  7  0
 x  1 or x  7

Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.

Exercise:
Solve the following quadratic equations using the factoring:

a) 2x2  5x  3
b) 2 x  2 x  10   30  6 x
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c) x2  6 x  5  0
d) 3 x 2   x  2

Northern Technical College. Chela Campus, Ndola.