C H A P T E R

Factoring and

4 Multiplying
Polynomials

A polynomial is an expression with more than one term, each with a different base. A binomial is
a polynomial with two terms; a trinomial is a polynomial with three terms.

 Multiplying Polynomials

To multiply two polynomials, multiply every term of the first polynomial by every term of the second polyno-
mial. Then, add the products and combine like terms.

What is (x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8)?

(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (x)(x2) = x3
(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (x)(6x) = 6x2
(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (x)(8) = 8x
(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (4)(x2) = 4x2
(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (4)(6x) = 24x
(x + 4)(x2 + 6x + 8), (4)(8) = 32

Add the products and combine like terms: x3 + 6x2 + 8x + 4x2 + 24x + 32 = x3 + 10x2 + 32x + 32.

33
 – FACTORING AND MULTIPLYING POLYNOMIALS –

 Factoring Polynomials

To factor the kinds of polynomials you will encounter on the SAT, first look for a factor common to every term
in the polynomial, such as x or a constant. After factoring out that value, factor the monomial, binomial, or quad-
ratic that remains.

What are the factors of 3x2 + 15x – 108?

First, factor out the constant 3: 3(x2 + 5x – 36). Then, factor the quadratic that remains: x2 + 5x – 36 =
(x – 4)(x + 9), and 3x2 + 15x – 108 = 3(x – 4)(x + 9).

 Finding Roots

As you saw in the last chapter, the roots of an equation are the values that make the equation true.

What are the roots of x3 – 9x2 – 10x = 0?

First, factor out the variable x: x(x2 – 9x – 10). Then, factor the quadratic that remains: x2 – 9x – 10 =
(x – 10)(x + 1), and x3 – 9x2 – 10x = x(x – 10)(x + 1). Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x: x = 0; x – 10 =
0, x = 10; x + 1 = 0, x = –1. The roots of this equation are 0, –1, and 10.

 Undefined Expressions

As you saw in previous chapters, a fraction is undefined when its denominator is equal to 0. If the denominator
of a fraction is a polynomial, factor it and set the factors equal to 0. The values that make the polynomial equal
to 0 are the values that make the fraction undefined.

(x + 49)
For what values of x is the fraction  
(x3 + 7x2) undefined?

Factor the denominator and set each factor equal to 0 to find the values of x that make the fraction undefined.
x3 + 7x2 = x2(x + 7), x2 = 0, x = 0; x + 7 = 0, x = –7. The fraction is undefined when x equals 0 or –7.

 Practice

1. –3x(x + 6)(x – 9) = 2. (x2 + 5x – 7)(x + 2) =

a. –3x3 + 6x – 54 a. x3 – 3x2 – 17x – 14
b. –x3 + 3x2 + 24x b. x3 + 5x2 – 7x + 14
c. –3x3 – 3x2 – 54 c. x3 + 7x2 + 17x – 14
d. –3x2 + 6x – 72 d. x3 + 7x2 + 3x – 14
e. –3x3 + 9x2 + 162x e. 2x3 + 10x2 – 14x

34
 – FACTORING AND MULTIPLYING POLYNOMIALS –

(x2 + 6x + 5)
3. (x – 6)(x – 3)(x – 1) = 8. The fraction  
(x3 – 25x) is equivalent to
a. x3 – 18 a.
(x + 1)

x
b. x3 – 9x – 18 (x + 1)
b. 
c. x3 – 8x2 + 27x – 18 (x + 5)
(x + 1)
d. x3 – 10x2 – 9x – 18 c.  
(x2 – 5x)
e. x3 – 10x2 + 27x – 18 d.
(x + 1)
 
(x2 + 5)
(x + 1)
e.  
4. What are the factors of 64x3 – 16x? (x2 + 5x)

a. 4(16x3 – 16x) (2x2 + 4x)

b. 16(x3 – x) 9. The fraction  
(4x3 – 16x2 – 48x) is equivalent to
(x + 2)
c. 16x(4x2) a. 
(x – 6)
d. 16x(4x – 1) b. 
x
(x + 2)(x + 6)
e. 16x(2x – 1)(2x + 1) 1
c. 
(2x – 12)
(x + 2)
5. What are the factors of 2x3 + 8x2 – 192x? d. 
4x(x – 6)
a. 2(x – 8)(x + 12) e.
2x(x + 2)

(x – 6)
b. 2x(x – 8)(x + 12)
c. x(2x – 8)(x + 24) 10. What is one value that makes the fraction
d. 2x(x + 16)(x – 12) 
(x2 – 25)

(x3 + 125) undefined?
e. 2(x2 – 8x)(x2 + 12x) a. –25
b. –5
6. What is a root of x(x – 1)(x + 1) = 27 – x? c. –1
a. –9 d. 5
b. –1 e. No values make the fraction undefined.
c. 3
d. 1
(x2 + 7x + 12)
e. 9 11. What values make the fraction  
(x3 + 3x2 – 4x)
undefined?
(x2 + 8x)
7. The fraction  
(x3 – 64x) is equivalent to a. –4, 1
a. 
1 b. –4, 0, 1
(x – 8)
x
c. –4, –1, 0
b. 
(x – 8) d. –1, 0, 4
(x + 8)
c.  e. 0, 1, 4
(x – 8)

d. x – 8
e. x + 8

35
 – FACTORING AND MULTIPLYING POLYNOMIALS –

12. What is one value that makes the fraction 14. Four times the cube of a number is equal to 48
(x2 + 11x + 30)

(4x + 44x2 + 120x) undefined? times the number minus four times the square of
a. –6 the number. If the number is greater than 0, what
b. –4 is the number?
c. –3 a. 3
d. –2 b. 4
e. –1 c. 5
d. 6
13. The cube of a number minus twice its square is e. 7
equal to 80 times the number. If the number is
greater than 0, what is the number? 15. The product of 3 consecutive positive integers
a. 4 is equal to 56 more than the cube of the first
b. 5 integer. What is largest of these integers?
c. 8 a. 3
d. 10 b. 4
e. 20 c. 5
d. 6
e. 8

36