Math A
Review of Factoring
Factor:
Answer 5(c + d)
Explanation The common factor is 5.
Answer (x - 3) (x + 3)
Explanation This problem is the difference of two squares. What times itself gives x²? Answer is x. What times itself is 9? Answer is 3. Factors are (x-3)(x+3)
Answer (a + 2) (a + 1)
Explanation What two numbers when multiplied give 2, and when added give 3? Answer 2 and 1.
Answer 3ab(b-2a)
Explanation Common factor of 3 and 6 is 3. Highest power of a in the terms is a. Highest power of b in the terms is b. Greatest common factor is 3ab.
Answer (5x³ - 11y²) (5x³ + 11y²)
Explanation This problem is the difference of two squares. What times itself gives the first term? Answer 5x³. What times itself gives the second term? Answer 11y². Answer: (5x³ - 11y²)(5x³ + 11y²)
Answer (2x + 3) (x + 2)
Explanation Possible factors of 2x² are 2x and x. Possible factors of 6 are 6 and 1 OR 3 and 2. Possible answers: (2x+1)(x+6) gives middle term of 13x. (2x+6)(x+1) gives a middle term of 8x. (2x+3)(x+2) gives a middle term of 7x. YEA! (2x+2)(x+3) gives a middle term of 8x.
Answer (c + 7) (c - 5)
Explanation What two numbers when multiplied give -35, and when added give +2? Answer +7 and -5.
Answer m(1 - r)
Explanation The common factor is m.
Answer (y - 0.3) (y + 0.3)
Explanation This problem is the difference of two squares. What times itself gives y²? Answer is y. What times itself gives 0.09? Answer is 0.3. Answer is (y-0.3)(y+0.3)
Caldwell
