FACTORING FLOW CHART

Does a Greatest Common Factor exist?

Ex 1

Can be the expression

YES

Two terms?

YES

Ex 2

Factor

written as A2 B2 or
NO

A+ B3 or A3 B3 ?

NO

Can the expression be

YES

Three Terms?

END

YES

Ex 3

perfect square?

written as ax2+bx+c?

YES
NO

NO

END

NO

product of two

YES

binomials?

Ex 4

NO

END
Four or More
Terms?

YES

Can you factorize the

YES

Ex 5

expression by grouping ?
NO

END

Ex 1: Greatest Common Factor (GCF)

Ex 1a: Factor 6ab+8ac+4a
Look for the GCF
6ab+8ac+4a = 2 3 ab + 2 4ac + 2 2a
Take out the GCF
= 2a (

)
Working on the parenthesis
= 2a ( 3 b +
4 c+ 2 )
Answer: 6ab+8ac+4a = 2a ( 3b + 4c + 2)

Ex 1b: Factor 5x2y(2a3) 15xy(2a-3)

Look for the GCF 5x2y(2a3)15xy(2a-3) = 5xxy(2a-3) 35xy(2a-3)
Take out the GCF
= 5xy(2a-3)(

)
Working on the parenthesis
= 5xy(2a-3)(x
-3
)
Answer:

5x2y(2a 3) 15xy(2a - 3) = 5xy(2a - 3)( x - 3 )

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Ex 2:

Factoring a Binomial

Ex 2a: Factor 3x3 12xy2

Taking the GCF out
Factoring as difference of squares

3x3 12xy2 = 3x ( x2 4y2 )

= 3x (x+2y)(x -2y)

Answer: 3x3 12xy2 = 3x (x+2y(x -2y)

Ex 2b: Factor 16x4 + 54x2

Taking the GCF out

16x5 + 54x2 = 2x2 (8x3 + 27)

Working on the parenthesis

= 2x2( [2x]3 + [3]3 )

Factoring as difference of cubes

= 2x2 (2x+ 3)[ (2x)2 (2x)3 +(3)2 ]
Simplifying

= 2x2 (2x+ 3 )(4x2 - 6x + 9)

Answer : 16x5 54x2 = 2x2(2x + 3)(4x2 6x + 9)

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Ex 3: Factoring as Perfect Square

Ex 3a: Factor 63x4 210x3 + 175x2
Taking GCF out
63x4 210x3 + 175x2 = 7x2 (9x2 30x + 25)
Check for perfect square
(
)2
Take square root first and last terms
= 7x2 (3x
5 )2
Middle terms check

2(3x)5 = 30x OK!

Answer: 63x4 30x3 + 25x2 = 7x2 (3x 5 )2

Ex 3b: Factor 3x3y2 +18x2y +27x
Taking the GCF out
3x3y2 + 18x2y +27x = 3x (x2y2 + 6xy + 9)
Check for perfect square
(
)
2

Take square root first and last terms

Middle terms check

= 3x ( xy +

2(xy)3 = 6xy OK!

Answer: 3x3y2 +18x2y + 27 =3x (xy + 5)2

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3 )2

Ex 4: Factor as Product of Two Binomials

Simple Case
Ex 4a : Factor 3x3 21x2 + 30x
Taking GCF out
3x3 21x2 + 30x = 3x (x2 7x+ 10)
Trinomial is not a perfect square
Lets try to factor as product of two binomials = 3x(x + a )(x + b )
Where ab = 10 & a + b = - 7. Since ab is positive,
a & b should have same sign, and
since ab = - 7
both
should be negative.
Possibilities for a, b are 1,10 or 2,5. Lets check
x -

-x

x - 2

-2x

x - 10

- 10x

x - 5

-5x

-11x

So, a = -2 and b = - 5

NO!

-7x

OK!

3x3 21x2 + 30x = 3x (x -2)(x 5)

Answer: 3x3 21x2 + 30x = 3x (x - 2)(x - 5)

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Ex 4:

Simple Case Continued

Ex 4b: Factor 4x5 20x3 + 16x

Taking the GCF out
4x5 20x3 + 16x = 4x (x4 5x2 + 4 )
Trinomial is not a perfect square !

Factoring as product of two binomials
= 4x (x2 1) (x2 4)
Factoring as difference of squares

=4x (x+1)(x1)(x+2)(x2)
Answer: 4x5 20x3+16x = 4x (x+1)(x1)(x+2)(x2)
Ex 4c: Factor 128 x7 2x
Taking the GCF out
128 x7 2x = 2x (64x6 1)
Working on the parenthesis
= 2x ( (8x3 )2 1 )

Factoring as difference of squares

= 2x (8x3 + 1) (8x3 1)
Working on the parenthesis
= 2x ( (2x)3+ 1 ) ( (2x)3 1 )

Addition and difference of cubes
=2x(2x+1)(4x2 2x+1)(2x1)(4x2+2x+1)
Answer: 128 x7162x =2x(2x+1)(4x22x+1)(2x-1)(4x2+2x+1)

Ex 4: General Case
Ex 4d: Factor 30 x2 21x 36
Taking the GCF out
30x2 21x 36 = 3(10x2 7x 12)
Check if it factors as
= 3(ax + p)(bx + q)
Since ab = 10, possible values for a,b are 1&10, or 2&5
Since pq = - 12, p & q has different sign and all possible
ways of getting 12 are 12(1) ,
6(2), 4(3).
1 following
12
1 tables
6 summarize
2
3
4 the situation
2
12 for1 pairs6 1&10,
2
3
The
2&5
10

-1
119

-12
-2

-2
58

-6
14

-4
26

-3

-1

-12

-2

-6

58

-19

26

-2

37

-4
7

4
-3
14

Each number on the last row is the adding of cross multiplication of the blue column by each one of the red columns. For example: 1 (-1) + 10
(12) = 119

The pair 1 & 10 doesnt work ! ( since 7 didnt appear on the last row).
Lets try now with p=2 & q=5. Filling the blanks on third row
Since we need 7x as the middle term, so we pick p = -2 and q = 5. (Do the Check)

Answer: 30x2 21x 36 = 3(2x - 3)(5x +4)

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Ex 5: Factor by grouping
Ex 5a: Factor 3x3 6x2 + 5x 10
Splitting in two groups
3x3 6x2 + 5x 10 = 3x3 6x2 + 5x 10
Taking the GCF out from both groups
= 3x2 (x 2) + 5 (x
2)
Taking the GCF ( x 2 ) out (to the right)
= ( 3x2 + 5) ( x 2)
Answer: 3x3 6x2 + 5x 10 = ( x 2)( 3x2 + 5)
Ex 5b: Factor 4x2 40x + 100 4y2
Taking the GCF out
4x2 40x + 100 4y2 = 4(x2 10x + 25 y2)
Split expression in parenthesis into two groups = 4 ([x210x+25] y2 )
Factor the first group as perfect square
= 4 ([ x 5]2 y2 )
Factor as difference of squares
= 4 ( [x 5 + y][x 5 y] )

Answer:

4x2 40x + 100 4y2 = 4(x + y 5)(x y 5)

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