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Lesson 1 - Factoring Polynomials
Lesson 1 - Factoring Polynomials
Lesson 1 - Factoring Polynomials
Factoring
Polynomials
Chapter Sections
1.1 – The Greatest Common Factor
1.2 – Factoring Trinomials of the Form x2 + bx + c
1.3 – Factoring Trinomials of the Form ax2 + bx + c
1.4 – Factoring Trinomials of the Form x2 + bx + c
by Grouping
1.5 – Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials and
Difference of Two Squares
1.6 – Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring
1.7 – Quadratic Equations and Problem Solving
1) 6(x + 2) – y(x + 2) =
6 · (x + 2) – y · (x + 2) =
(x + 2)(6 – y)
2) xy(y + 1) – (y + 1) =
xy · (y + 1) – 1 · (y + 1) =
(y + 1)(xy – 1)
Factoring Trinomials of
the Form ax + bx + c
2
Factoring Trinomials
Returning to the FOIL method,
F O I L
(3x + 2)(x + 4) = 3x2 + 12x + 2x + 8
= 3x2 + 14x + 8
To factor ax2 + bx + c into (#1·x + #2)(#3·x + #4), note
that a is the product of the two first coefficients, c is
the product of the two last coefficients and b is the
sum of the products of the outside coefficients and
inside coefficients.
Note that b is the sum of 2 products, not just 2
numbers, as in the last section.
Continued.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 28
Factoring Polynomials
Example Continued
Check the resulting factorization using the FOIL method.
F O I L
(3x – 5)(7x – 2) = 3x(7x) + 3x(-2) - 5(7x) - 5(-2)
= 21x2 – 6x – 35x + 10
= 21x2 – 41x + 10
Continued.
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 36
Factoring Polynomials
Example Continued
Check the resulting factorization using the FOIL method.
F O I L
(3x – 10)(x + 3) = 3x(x) + 3x(3) – 10(x) – 10(3)
= 3x2 + 9x – 10x – 30
= 3x2 – x – 30
So our final answer when asked to factor the polynomial
6x2y2 – 2xy2 – 60y2 will be 2y2(3x – 10)(x + 3).
Factoring Trinomials of
the Form x + bx + c
2
by Grouping
Factoring by Grouping
Factoring polynomials often involves additional
techniques after initially factoring out the GCF.
One technique is factoring by grouping.
Example
Factor xy + y + 2x + 2 by grouping.
Notice that, although 1 is the GCF for all four
terms of the polynomial, the first 2 terms have a
GCF of y and the last 2 terms have a GCF of 2.
xy + y + 2x + 2 = x · y + 1 · y + 2 · x + 2 · 1 =
y(x + 1) + 2(x + 1) = (x + 1)(y + 2)
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 39
Factoring by Grouping
Factoring a Four-Term Polynomial by Grouping
1) Arrange the terms so that the first two terms have a
common factor and the last two terms have a common
factor.
2) For each pair of terms, use the distributive property to
factor out the pair’s greatest common factor.
3) If there is now a common binomial factor, factor it out.
4) If there is no common binomial factor in step 3, begin
again, rearranging the terms differently.
If no rearrangement leads to a common binomial
factor, the polynomial cannot be factored.
9x2 – 25y2
– c4 + d4
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 47
Difference of Two Squares
Example
Factor the polynomial x2 – 9.
Solving Quadratic
Equations by Factoring
Zero Factor Theorem
Quadratic Equations
Can be written in the form ax2 + bx + c = 0.
a, b and c are real numbers and a 0.
This is referred to as standard form.
Zero Factor Theorem
If a and b are real numbers and ab = 0, then a =
0 or b = 0.
This theorem is very useful in solving quadratic
equations.
Quadratic Equations
and Problem Solving
Strategy for Problem Solving
General Strategy for Problem Solving
1) Understand the problem
Read and reread the problem
Choose a variable to represent the unknown
Construct a drawing, whenever possible
Propose a solution and check
2) Translate the problem into an equation
3) Solve the equation
4) Interpret the result
Check proposed solution in problem
State your conclusion
Continued
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 60
Finding an Unknown Number
Example continued
2.) Translate
The product of
is 132
two consecutive positive integers
x • (x + 1) = 132
Continued
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 61
Finding an Unknown Number
Example continued
3.) Solve
x(x + 1) = 132
x2 + x = 132 (Distributive property)
hypotenuse
leg a
leg b
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 64
The Pythagorean Theorem
Example
Find the length of the shorter leg of a right triangle if the longer leg
is 10 miles more than the shorter leg and the hypotenuse is 10 miles
less than twice the shorter leg.
1.) Understand
Read and reread the problem. If we let 2 x - 10
x = the length of the shorter leg, then x
x + 10 = the length of the longer leg and
x + 10
2x – 10 = the length of the hypotenuse.
Continued
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 65
The Pythagorean Theorem
Example continued
2.) Translate
By the Pythagorean Theorem,
(leg a)2 + (leg b)2 = (hypotenuse)2
x2 + (x + 10)2 = (2x – 10)2
3.) Solve
x2 + (x + 10)2 = (2x – 10)2
x2 + x2 + 20x + 100 = 4x2 – 40x + 100 (multiply the binomials)
2x2 + 20x + 100 = 4x2 – 40x + 100 (simplify left side)
0 = 2x2 – 60x (subtract 2x2 + 20x + 100 from both sides)
0 = 2x(x – 30) (factor right side)
x = 0 or x = 30 (set each factor = 0 and solve) Continued
Martin-Gay, Developmental Mathematics 66
The Pythagorean Theorem
Example continued
4.) Interpret
Check: Remember that x is suppose to represent the length of
the shorter side. So, although x = 0 satisfies our equation, it
cannot be a solution for the problem we were presented.
If we let x = 30, then x + 10 = 40 and 2x – 10 = 50. Since 302 +
402 = 900 + 1600 = 2500 = 502, the Pythagorean Theorem
checks out.
State: The length of the shorter leg is 30 miles. (Remember that
is all we were asked for in this problem.)