Fabulous Factoring!
First step in ALL factoring:
2 x2  4 x
25 x 2 y  5 x
Factoring Two Term Polynomials
The difference of two squares:
2x2  8
a 2  b2
16 x 2  25 y 2
x2  4
Sum and difference of cubes (degree 3):
Memorize the formulas: a3  b3  (a  b)(a 2  ab  b2 ) & a3  b3  (a  b)(a 2  ab  b2 )
or
Clean ‘em up!
1. Rewrite as cubes
2. Tubs
3. S.O.A.P.
4. Stick ‘em in!
5. Clean ‘em up!
x3  8
2a3  128
x3  27
4 Terms-
xy  2 x  3 y  6
5a 2  2ab  5a  2b
3 Terms: ax2  bx  c, a  1
2 x 2  8x  6
x2  3x  4
x3  8x2  16x
3 Terms: ax2  bx  c, a  1
2 x2  3x  2
3 Terms: ax2  bx  c, a  1
2 x 2  3x  2
12 x2  5x  2
9 x2  21x  6
12x2  5x  2
Extra Practice!
a. 100x 2 y  50 xy 2
b. x 2  16
c. 64x 2  9 z 2
d. x 3  125
e. x 3  y 3
f. 4x 2  20 x  3 xy  15 y
g. x 2  3 x  40
h. 27x 2  33 x  10
Answers to Extra Practice!
a. 50 xy (2 x  y )
b. Not Factorable
c. (8 x  3z )(8 x  3z )
d. ( x  5)( x 2  5 x  25)
e. ( x  y )( x 2  xy  y 2 )
f. ( x  5)(4 x  3 y )
g. ( x  5)( x  8)
h. (9 x  5)(3 x  2)