Follow these steps in order to factor any equation or expression.

1. Check for the Greatest Common Factor, Common Binomials or Factor by Grouping.
Examples
a) 5𝑥 2 + 35𝑥 b) 3(𝑥 + 2) − 5𝑥(𝑥 + 2) c) 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 3𝑎𝑥 + 12𝑎
= 5𝑥(𝑥 + 7) = (𝑥 + 2)(3 − 5𝑥) = (𝑥 2 + 4𝑥) + (3𝑎𝑥 + 12𝑎)
= 𝑥(𝑥 + 4) + 3𝑎(𝑥 + 4)
= (𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 + 3𝑎)

2. Check for Perfect Square Trinomials or Difference of Squares Patterns.

Examples
a) 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 1 b) 𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 + 25 c) 9𝑥 2 − 49
= (2𝑥 + 1)2 = (𝑥 − 5)2 = (3𝑥 − 7)(3𝑥 + 7)

Based on the pattern: Based on the pattern: Based on the pattern:

𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 2 2
𝑎 − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 = (𝑎 − 𝑏) 2 𝑎2 − 𝑏 2 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎 + 𝑏)

3. Use product and sum factoring. There are two options here. It depends if the
coefficient of the squared term is 1 or not. “Cross multiplication” is an alternative here.
If 𝑎 = 1 in 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐, then use product If 𝑎 ≠ 1 in 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐, then use the product
of c and sum of b. of ac and sum of b.

Example Example
𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 + 10 2𝑥 2 − 7𝑥 − 4 (product of -8 and sum of -7)
= (𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 + 2) = 2𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 𝑥 − 4
= (2𝑥 2 − 8𝑥) + (𝑥 − 4)
5 and 2 are used since the product of 5 and = 2𝑥(𝑥 − 4) + 1(𝑥 − 4)
2 is 10 and the sum of 5 and 2 is 7. = (𝑥 − 4)(2𝑥 + 1)

-8 and 1 are used to decompose the middle

term and then factor by grouping is used.