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A Teaching- Learning Package in Mathematics 8

Teacher: Maryland V. Pasilan

Method: Deductive Method
TLP 3: Factoring Common Monomial Factor
Objectives: Through the discussion and examples, the students should be able to:
1. Find the greatest common factor (GCF) of two or more monomials; and
2. Factor polynomials with terms containing common factors.

A. ACTIVATION
INTRODUCTION
A. The figure below is a square made up of 36 tiles. Rearrange the tiles to create a rectangle, having the same
area as the original square.
How many such rectangles can you create?
What do you consider in looking for the other dimensions?
What mathematical concepts would you consider in forming different dimensions? Why?
Suppose the length of one side is increased by unknown quantities (e.g. x) how could you possibly represent the
dimensions?

B. Every skill required, the students must raise their right hand as response. Raising their hands means they
understand, remember and can solve a polynomial.
Skills Required Response
1. Can factor numerical expressions easily.
2. Can divide polynomials.
3. Can apply the quotient rule of exponents.
4. Can add and subtract polynomials.
5. Can work with special products.
6. Can multiply polynomials

C. Complete the table by filling first the initial column of the chart. This activity will determine how much you
know about this topic and your progress.
Express the following as Initial Final
Product of factors.
 1. 4x2 – 12x =
2. 9m2 – 16n2 =
3. 4a2 + 12a + 9 =
4. 2x2 + 9x – 5 =
Note: The students will write their answer in the initial column. They will keep their answer and after the
discussion, they will check if they have correct answers or not.
MOTIVATION
The activity that you did in the previous section will help you understand the different lessons and activities you
will encounter here.
The process of finding the factors of an expression is called factoring, which is the reverse process of
multiplication. A prime number is a number greater than 1 which has only two positive factors: 1 and itself.
Can you give examples of prime numbers?
Is it possible to have a prime that is a polynomial?
If so, give examples.
The first type of factoring that you will encounter is Factoring the Greatest Common Monomial Factor. To
understand this let us do some picture analysis.

1. What are the things common to these pictures?

2. Are there things that make them different?
3. Can you spot things that are found on one picture but not on the other two?
4. What are the things common to two pictures but not on the other?
The above activity gave us the idea about the Greatest Common Monomial Factor that appears in every
term of the polynomial.

B. BUILDING – UP
Example 1:
Factor 12x3y5– 20x5y2z
a. Find the greatest common factor of the numerical coefficients.
The GCF of 12 and 20 is 4.
b. Find the variable with the least exponent that appears in each term of the polynomial.
x and y are both common to all terms and 3 is the smallest exponent for x and 2 is the
smallest exponent of y, thus, x3y2 is the GCF of the variables.
c. The product of the greatest common factor in (a) and (b) is the GCF of the polynomial.
Hence, 4x3y2 is the GCF of 12x3y5 – 20x5y2z.
d. To completely factor the given polynomial, divide the polynomial by its GCF, the resulting quotient
is the other factor.
Thus, the factored form of 12x3y5 – 20x5y2z is 4x3y2 (3y3 – 5x2z)

Below are other examples of Factoring the Greatest Monomial Factor.

Example 1:
Find the GCF of 20a2b and 12 a2b3c
Solution: Find the prime factors of each monomial
20a2b=2•2•5•a•a•b
12a2c=2•2•3•a•a•b•b•b•c
The GCF is 2•2•a•a•b=4a2b
If you multiply a monomial by a polynomial, you obtain a product containing common factor.
Example 2:
Suppose the product of the polynomial is 2x2+6x, find the factors.
Solution: The product 2x2+6x can be factored by greatest common factor(GCF)
Factor each term into prime factors.
2x2=2•x•x and 6x=2•3•x
The GCF is 2x.
To determine the other factor, divide each term of the polynomial by the GCF, 2x.
2
2x 6 x
+ =x+ 3, the other factor
2x 2x
Therefore, 2x2+6x=2x(x+3), 2x and (x+3) are the factors of the polynomial 2x2+6x.
Example 3:
Factor 3a2b-9ab2
Solution: Factor each term into prime factors to determine the GCF.
3a2b=3•a•a•b
-9ab2=-3•3•a•b•b
3•a•b or 3ab is the GCF.
Divide each term of the polynomial by the GCF,(3ab)
2 2
3 a b 9 ab
− =a−3 b, the factor.
3 ab 3 ab
Therefore, 3a2b-9ab2=3ab(a-3b)

Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.
Try This #1!
Factor the following.
1. 6y-18 2. 10x2-5x

Example 4:
Factor 3ax + 9bx
Solution:
3ax + 9bx = 3x• a + 3x • 3b
= 3x(a+3b)

Try This #2!

Factor 5ab+10bc
Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.

Example 5:
Factor 3m2x + 6m2y -12m2z
Solution:
 3m3x + 6m2y-12m2z=3m2•x+3m2•2y-3m2•4z
=3m2(x+2y-4z)

Try This #3!

Factor 3x3y-12x2y-9x2y
Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.

Example 6:
Factor 28a4b3-14a2b+42a3b3
Solution: 28a4b3-14a2b+42a3b3
=7a2b•4a2b2-7a2b•2+7a2b•6ab2 28,14 and 22 are all factors of 7
factor the variables
apply the law of exponents
=7a2b(4a2b2-2+6ab2) look for the same factor(7a2b)

Try This #4!

Factor 18x3y4-12x2y5+6xy
Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.

Example 7:
Factor 7x2y3-35xy4+49x3y-63x2y2
Solution: 7x2y3-35xy4+49x3y-63x2y2
=7xy•xy2-7xy•5y3+7xy•7x2-7xy•9xy 7,35,49 and 63 are factors of 7
factor each term(its variable)
apply the law of exponents
=7xy(xy2-5y3+7x2-9xy) look for the same factor(7xy)

Try This #5!

Factor 6x4y5-9x2y4+12x2y3
Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.

Example 8:
Factor 2x(a+3)-5y(a+3)
Solution: 2x(a+3)-5y(a+3)
=2x•(a+3)- 5y•(a+3) observe that both term have (a+3)
=(2x-5y)(a+3)

Try This #6!

Factor 4x(x+3)+5(x+3)
Students are given time to answer on their own. After, some students will be called to answer the following
items on the board.
Example 9:
Factor 7a2b2+7a3b3p-21a3b3
*21 This is will serve as your practice.

Reminders: The greatest common monomial factor should be divided to all terms of the expression and not
only to its first term and that the number of terms of the other factor is equal to the number of terms the
polynomial contains.
If all the terms of a given polynomial have a common monomial factor, that polynomial can be expressed as a
product of the following:
1. the common monomial factor
2. And the quotient of the polynomial divided by the common monomial factor
The greatest common factor of two or more integers is the product of the prime factors common to the
integers.
The GCF of two or more monomials is the product of their common factors, when each monomial is
expressed as a product of prime factors.

In the previous activity, Initial-Final table, it will be check if they solve correctly or not.

C. CULMINATION
EVALUATION
A. Factor each of the following polynomials. Show your solutions. (3 points each)
1. 13xyz-39yz+26xy 5. 8m2n-12mn+24mn2
3 2 2 5 3
2. 14x y +7x y-21x y 6.3a5b3-24a7b2+52a5b5
3. 14a2b2c-21bcd-35acd 7. 3de+6ef-9def+12df
5 6 2 2 3
4. 12p q +7p s +24p r 8. 12km3-24k3m2+36k2m