Factoring

Polynomials
 Definition of Polynomials

Polynomials are algebraic

expressions that consist of
variables and coefficients.
 Definition of Factoring

-finding what to multiply

together to get an
expression.
-process of finding the
factors
It is like "splitting" an expression
into a multiplication of simpler expressions.
Example: Factor 2y + 6
Both 2y and 6 have a common factor of 2:
2y is 2 × y
6 is 2 × 3

So we can factor the whole expression into:

2y+6 = 2(y+3)

So 2y+6 has been "factored into" 2 and y+3

Factoring is also the opposite of Expanding:

2(y+3) 2y + 6
Method 1. Common Factor
(using GCF)

Example : Factor 3y2 + 12y

3 and 12 have a common factor of 3.

3y2+12y = 3(y2+4y)

But we can do better!

3y2 and 12y also share the variable y.
3y2 is 3y × y
12y is 3y × 4
GCF: 3y

So we can factor the whole expression into:

3y2+12y = 3y(y+4)
Example : 6c d  12c d  3cd
3 2 2

Step 1: GCF  3cd

Step 2: Divide by GCF

3 2 2
(6c d  12c d  3cd)  3cd 
2
2c  4cd  1
The answer should look like this:

3 2 2
Ex: 6c d  12c d  3cd
2
 3cd(2c  4cd  1)
Practice 11a
 3x  2 x 2  x  4
3 2
1. 6x  3x  12x
 5 x2  2 x  7
2
2. 5x  10x  35
3. 16x y z  8x y z  12xy z
3 4 2 2 3 3 2

 4 xy z  4 x y  2 xz  3 yz 
2 2 2 2
Method 2
Difference of Squares
2 2
a  b  (a  b)( a  b)
To factor, express each term as a square of
a monomial then apply the rule...
2 2
a  b  (a  b)( a  b)
2
Ex: x  16 
2 2
x 4 
(x  4)(x  4)
Example:
1 2
x  81 
49
2
1 x  92  1 x  91 x  9
7  7 7 
Practice 11b:
1. x  121   x  11 x  11
2

2. 9y  169x
2 2
  3 y  13 x  3 y  13 x 

3. x  16   x  2  x  2   x  4 
4 2

Be careful!
Method 3
Sum and Difference of Cubes
a  b  a  ba  ab  b
3 3 2 2

a b
3 3
 a  ba  ab  b 
2 2
 3 3
Example : x  64  (x  4 )
3
Apply the rule for sum of cubes:

a  b  a  ba  ab  b
3 3 2 2

2 2
 (x  4)( x  x 4  4 )
2
 (x  4)( x  4x  16)
 3 3 3
Ex: 8y  125  ((2y)  5 )
Apply the rule for difference of cubes:

a  b  a  ba  ab  b
3 3 2 2


 2y  5 2y  2y  5  5
2 2

 2y  54y  10y  25 2
Method 4
Factoring a trinomial in the form:
2
ax  bx  c
where a = 1
 2
Factoring a ax  bx  c
trinomial:
1. Write two sets of parenthesis, (x )(x ).
These will be the factors of the
trinomial.
2. Find the factors of the c term that add to
the b term. For instance, let
c = d·e and d+e = b
then the factors are
(x+d)(x +e ).
Next
Example : x  6x  8
2

x  x 
x -2 x -4 
Factors of +8: 1&8 1+8=9

2&4 2+4=6

-1 & -8 -1 - 8 = -9

-2 & -4 -2 - 4 = -6

Factors of +8 that add to -6

 x  6x  8  (x  2)( x  4)
2

Check:
F O I L
2
(x  2)( x  4)  x  4x  2x  8
2
 x  6x  8
 2
Example: Factor 6x  12x  18

2
6(x  2x  3) Find a GCF

6(x  3)( x  1) Factor trinomial

Method 5
Factoring a perfect square
trinomial in the form:
a  2ab  b  (a  b)
2 2 2

a  2ab  b  (a  b)
2 2 2
 2
Ex: x  8x  16
x 2
4 2

a b
Does the middle
term fit the pattern,
2ab? 2  x  4  8x
Yes, the factors are (a + b)2 :

x  8x  16  x  4
2 2
 2
Ex: 4x  12x  9
2x 
2
32
b
a
Does the middle
term fit the pattern,
2ab? 2 2x  3  12x
Yes, the factors are (a - b)2 :

4x  12x  9  2x  3
2 2
Method 6
Factoring By Grouping
for polynomials
with 4 or more terms
Method 6
Factoring By Grouping
1. Group the first set of terms and last set of
terms with parentheses.
2. Factor out the GCF from each group so that
both sets of parentheses contain the same
factors.
3. Factor out the GCF again (the GCF is the
factor from step 2).
 3 2
Example: b  3b  4 b  12
Step 1: Group

 b  3b  4b  12 
3 2

Step 2: Factor out GCF from each group

 b b  3  4b  3
2

Step 3: Factor out GCF again

 b  3b  4 2
  16 x  8 x  64
3 2
Example: 2 x
 2x  8x  4x  32 
3 2


 2 x  8x  4x  32
3 2

 2x x  8  4x  8
2


 2 x  8x  4 
2

 2x  8x  2x  2
Practice 11c
2
1. x  5x  6
2
2. 3x  11x  20
3
3. x  216
4. 8x  8
3

5. 3x  6x  24x
3 2
Answers:
1. (x  6)( x  1)
2. (3x  4)( x  5)
2
3. (x  6)( x  6x  36)
4. 8(x  1)( x  x  1)
2

5. 3x(x  4)(x  2)