Finish Line & Beyond

FACTORISATION
1. When we factorise an expression, we write it as a product of factors. These factors
may be numbers, algebraic variables or algebraic expressions.
2. An irreducible factor is a factor which cannot be expressed further as a product of
factors.
3. A systematic way of factorising an expression is the common factor method. It
consists of three steps:
(i) Write each term of the expression as a product of irreducible factors
(ii) Look for and separate the common factors and
(iii) Combine the remaining factors in each term in accordance with the distributive
law.
4. Sometimes, all the terms in a given expression do not have a common factor; but
the terms can be grouped in such a way that all the terms in each group have a
common factor. When we do this, there emerges a common factor across all the
groups leading to the required factorisation of the expression. This is the method of
regrouping.
5. In factorisation by regrouping, we should remember that any regrouping (i.e., re-
arrangement) of the terms in the given expression may not lead to factorisation. We
must observe the expression and come out with the desired regrouping by trial and
error.
6. A number of expressions to be factorised are of the form or can be put into the
form :
a + 2ab + b,
a – 2ab + b,
a – b and
x + (a + b) + ab.
These expressions can be easily factorised using following identities:
a + 2ab + b = (a + b) 
a – 2ab + b = (a – b) 
a – b = (a + b) (a – b)
x + (a + b) x + ab = (x + a) (x + b)
7. In expressions which have factors of the type (x + a) (x + b), remember the nu-
merical term gives ab. Its factors, a and b, should be so chosen that their sum, with
signs taken care of, is the coefficient of x.
8. We know that in the case of numbers, division is the inverse of multiplication. This
idea is applicable also to the division of algebraic expressions.
9. In the case of division of a polynomial by a monomial, we may carry out the divi-
sion either by dividing each term of the polynomial by the monomial or by the com-
mon factor method.
10. In the case of division of a polynomial by a polynomial, we cannot proceed by di-
viding each term in the dividend polynomial by the divisor polynomial. Instead, we
factorise both the polynomials and cancel their common factors.
11. In the case of divisions of algebraic expressions that we studied in this chapter,
we have
Dividend = Divisor × Quotient.
In general, however, the relation is
Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder

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 Finish Line & Beyond

EXERCISE 1

1. Find the common factors of the given terms.

(i) 12x, 36

Answer: 12 x = 2 × 2 × 3 × x
36 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3

Here, common factor is 2 × 3 = 6

(ii) 2y, 22xy

Answer: 2y = 2× y
22 y = 2 × 11 × y

Common factor = 2

(iii) 14 pq, 28pq

Answer: 14 pq = 2 × 7 × p × q
28 p ²q² = 2 × 2 × 7 × p × p × q × q
Common Factor = 2 × 7 × p × q = 14 pq

(iv) 2x, 3x², 4

Answer: 2 x = 2 × x
3x² = 3 × x × x
4 = 2× 2

There is no common factor other than unity, so common factor= 1

(v) 6 abc, 24ab², 12 a²b

Answer: 6abc = 2 × 3 × a × b × c
24ab ² = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × a × b × b
12a ²b = 2 × 2 × 3 × a × a × b
Common factor = 2 × 3 × a × b = 6ab

(vi) 16 x³, – 4x², 32x

Answer: 16 x ³ = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × x × x × x
− 4 x ² = -2 × 2 × x × x
32 x = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × x
Common factor = 2x

(vii) 10 pq, 20qr, 30rp

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Answer: 10 pq = 2 × 5 × p × q
20qr = 2 × 2 × 5 × q × r
30rp = 2 × 3 × 5 × p × r
Common factor = 2 × 5 = 10

(viii) 3x² y³, 10x³ y²,6 x² y²z

Answer: 3x² y ³ = 3 × x × x × y × y × y
10 x ³ y ³ = 2 × 5 × x × x × x × y × y × y
6 x² y ² z = 2 × 3 × x × x × y × y × z
Common factor= x ² y ²

2. Factorise the following expressions.

(i) 7x – 42

Answer: 7 x − 42
= 7× x − 7× 6
= 7( x − 6)

(ii) 6p – 12q

Answer: 6 p − 12q
= 6 × p − 6 × 2q
= 6( p − 2q )

(iii) 7a² + 14a

Answer: 7 a ² + 14a
= 7× a× a + 7× 2× a
= 7a (a + 2)

(iv) – 16 z + 20 z³

Answer: − 16 z + 20 z ³
= − 4× 4× z + 4× 5× z × z × z
= 4 z (− 4 + 5 z × z )
= 4 z (5 z ² − 4)

(v) 20 l² m + 30 a l m

Answer: 20l ² m + 30alm

= 2× 2× 5× l × l × m + 2× 3× 5× a × l × m
= 2lm(10l + 15a )

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(vi) 5 x² y – 15 xy²
Answer: 5 x ² y − 15 xy ²
= 5× x × x × y − 5× 3× x × y × y
= 5 x ( xy − 3 y ² )

(vii) 10 a² – 15 b² + 20 c²

Answer: 10a ² − 15b ² + 20c ²

= 2 × 5× a × a − 3× 5× b × b + 4 × 5× c × c
= 5(2a ² − 3b ² + 4c ²)

(viii) – 4 a² + 4 ab – 4 ca

Answer: − 4a ² + 4ab − 4ca

= − 4× a× a + 4× a× b − 4× a× c
= − 4a ( a − b + c )

(ix) x² y z + x y²z + x y z²

Answer: x ² yz + xy ² z + xyz ²
= x× x× y× z + x× y× y× z + x× y× z× z
= xyz ( x + y + z )

(x) a x² y + b x y² + c x y z²

Answer: ax ² yz + bxy ² z + cxyz ²

= a× x× x× y× z + b× x× y× y× z + c× x× y× z× z
= xyz (ax + by + cz )

3. Factorise.
(i) x² + x y + 8x + 8y

Answer: x ² + xy + 8 x + 8 y
= x × x + x × y + 8× x + 8× y
= x( x + y ) + 8( x + y )
= ( x + 8)( x + y )

(ii) 15 xy – 6x + 5y – 2

Answer: 15 xy − 6x + 5 y − 2
= 3× 5× x × y − 2 × 3× x + 5× y − 2
= 3 x(5 y − 2) + 1(5 y − 2)

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 Finish Line & Beyond

= (3 x + 1)(5 y − 2)

(iii) ax + bx – ay – by

Answer: ax + bx − ay − by
= x ( a + b) − y ( a + b)
= ( x − y )(a + b)

(iv) 15 pq + 15 + 9q + 25p

Answer: 15 pq + 15 + 9q + 25 p
= 5 × 3 × pq + 5 × 3 + 3 × 3q + 5 × 5 p
= 5 × 3 pq + 3 × 3q + 5 × 5 p + 5 × 3
= 3q (5 p + 3) + 5(5 p + 3)
= (3q + 5)(5 p + 3)

(v) z – 7 + 7 x y – x y z

Answer: z − 7 + 7 xy − xyz
= z − xyz − 7 + 7 xy
= z (1 − xy ) − 7(1 − xy )
= ( z − 7)(1 − xy )

EXERCISE 2

1. Factorise the following expressions.

(i) a² + 8a + 16

Answer: a ² + 8a + 16
= a× a + 2× 4× a + 4× 4
= a × a + 4a + 4a + 4 × 4
= a(a + 4) + 4(a + 4)
= (a + 4)(a + 4)
= (a + 4)²

(ii) p² – 10 p + 25

Answer: p ² − 10 p + 25
= p × p − 5p − 5p + 5× 5
= p( p − 5) − 5( p − 5)
= ( p − 5)( p − 5)
= ( p − 5) ²

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(iii) 25m² + 30m + 9

Answer: 25m² + 30m + 9

= 5× 5× m × m + 5× 3× m + 5× 3× m + 3× 3
= 5m(5m + 3) + 3(5m + 3)
= (5m + 3)(5m + 3)
= (5m + 3)²

(iv) 49y² + 84yz + 36z²

Answer: 49 y ² + 84 yz + 36 z ²
= 7 × 7 × y × y + 42 yz + 42 yz + 6 × 6 × z × z
= 7 y (7 y + 6 z ) + 6 z (7 y + 6 z )
= (7 y + 6 z )(7 y + 6 z )
= (7 y + 6 z ) ²

(v) 4x² – 8x + 4

Answer: 4 x ² − 8x + 4
= 4 x² − 4 x − 4 x + 4
= 4 x( x − 1) − 4( x − 1)
= (4 x − 4)( x − 1)

(vi) 121b² – 88bc + 16c²

Answer: 121b² − 88bc + 16c ²

= 11 × 11 × b × b − 44bc − 44bc + 4 × 4 × c × c
= 11b(11b − 4c) − 4c(11b − 4c)
= (11b − 4c)(11b − 4c)
= (11b − 4c)²

(vii) (l + m) ² – 4lm

Answer: (l + m) ² − 4lm
= l ² + m² + 2lm − 4lm
= l ² + m² − 2lm
this can be facotrised using (a-b) ²
Hence,
= l ² + m² − 2lm
= (l − m)²

(viii) a4 + 2a²b² + b4

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Answer: This can be solved using (a+b) ²=a²+2ab+b²

Hence,
a4 + 2a²b² + b4
=(a²+b²)²

2. Factorise.
(i) 4p² – 9q²

Answer: As you know: a ² - b² = (a + b)(a - b)

Hence, 4 p ² − 9q ² = (2 p + 3q )(2 p − 3q)

(ii) 63a² – 112b²

Answer: 63a ² − 112b ² = 7(9a ² − 16b ²)

Using, a ² - b² = (a + b)(a - b) we get
9a ² − 16b² = (3a + 4b)(3a − 4b)
Hence, 7(9a ² − 16b ² ) = 7(3a + 4b)(3a − 4b)
(iii) 49x² – 36

Answer: 49 x ² − 36 = (7 x + 6)(7 x − 6)

(iv) 16x – 144x³

Answer:16x5-144x3
= x³(16x²-144)
= x³(4x+12)(4x-12)

(v) (l + m) ² – (l – m) ²

Answer: (l + m)² − (l − m)²

= (l + m + l − m)(l + m − l + m)
= 2l × 2m = 4lm

(vi) 9x² y² – 16

Answer: 9 x ² y ² − 16
= (3 xy + 4)(3xy − 4)

(vii) (x² – 2xy + y²) – z²

Answer:The part in the bracket can be factorized using following identity:

(a − b)² = a ² − 2ab + b²
Hence, x ² − 2 xy + y ² = ( x − y ) ²
Now, ( x − y )² − z ² can be solved using a ² − b ² = (a + b)(a − b)
Hence, ( x − y )² − z ² = ( x − y + z )( x − y − z )

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(viii) 25a² – 4b² + 28bc – 49c²

Answer: (5a) ² − (2b)² + 2 × 2b × 7c − (7c)²

= (5a )² − {( 2b)² − 2 × 2b × 7c + (7c) ²}
= (5a )² − (2b − 7c)²
Using, a ² − b ² = (a + b)(a − b) the equation can be written as follows:
(5a + 2b − 7c)(5a − 2b + 7c)

3. Factorise the expressions.

(i) ax² + bx

Answer: ax ² + bx
= x( ax + b)
(ii) 7p² + 21q²

Answer: 7 p ² + 21q ²
= 7( p ² + 3q ² )

(iii) 2x³ + 2xy² + 2xz²

Answer: 2x³ + 2xy² + 2xz²

=2x(x²+y²+z²)

(iv) am² + bm² + bn² + an²

Answer: am ² + an ² + bm ² + bn²
= a ( m ² + n ² ) + b( m ² + n ² )
= (a + b)(m² + n ² )

(v) (lm + l) + m + 1

Answer: (lm + l ) + m + 1
= l (m + 1) + m + 1
= l (m + 1) + 1( m + 1)
= (l + 1)(m + 1)

(vi) y (y + z) + 9 (y + z)

Answer: y ( y + z ) + 9( y + z )
= ( y + 9)( y + z )

(vii) 5y² – 20y – 8z + 2yz

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Answer: 5 y ( y − 4) − 2 z (4 − y )
= 5 y ( y − 4) + 2 z ( y − 4)
= (5 y + 2 z )( y − 4)

(viii) 10ab + 4a + 5b + 2

Answer: 10ab + 4a + 5b + 2
= 2a (5b + 2) + 1(5b + 2)
= (2a + 1)(5b + 2)

(ix) 6xy – 4y + 6 – 9x
Answer: 6 xy − 4 y + 6 − 9x
= 2 y (3 x − 2) + 3(2 − 3 x)
= 2 y (3 x − 2) − 3(3 x − 2)
= (2 y − 3)(3 x − 2)

4. Factorise.
(i) a4 – b4

Answer: a4-b4 = (a²+b²)(a²-b²)

(ii) p4 – 81

Answer: p4 – 81
=(p²+9)(p²-9)

(iii) x4 – (y + z)4

Answer: x4 – (y + z)4
= (x²+(y+z) ²)(x²-(y+z) ²)
= (x²+(y+z) ²)[(x+y+z)(x-y-z)]

(iv) x4 – (x – z)4

Answer: x4 – (x – z)4
=(x²-(x-z) ²)(x²+(x-z) ²)
=[(x+x-z)(x-x+z)](x²+(x-z) ²]

(v) a4 – 2a²b² + b4

Answer: a4 – 2a²b² + b4
This can be solved using (a − b)² = a ² − 2ab + b²
Hence, the given equation can be written as follows:
(a²-b²)²

5. Factorise the following expressions.

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 Finish Line & Beyond

(i) p² + 6p + 8

Asnwer: p²+6p+8
=p(p+6)+8

(ii) q² – 10q + 21

Answer: q²-10q+21
=q(q-10)+21

(iii) p² + 6p – 16

Answer: p²+6p-16
=p(p+6)-16

EXERCISE 3

1. Carry out the following divisions.

(i) 28x4 ÷ 56x

Answer: 28x ÷ 56x

1
= x
2
(ii) –36y³ ÷ 9y²

Answer: -4y

(iii) 66pq²r ÷ 11qr²

Answer: 6pqr

(iv) 34xyz ÷ 51xy²z

2
Answer: x²y
3

(v) 12a8b8 ÷ (– 6a6b4)

Answer: -2a²b4

2. Divide the given polynomial by the given monomial.

(i) (5x² – 6x) ÷ 3x

5
Answer: x-6
3

(ii) (3y8 – 4y6 + 5y4) ÷ y4

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Answer: 3y4-4y²+5

(iii) 8(xy²z² + x²yz² + x²y²z) ÷ 4x²y²z²

Answer: 2(x+y+z)

(iv) (x + 2x² + 3x) ÷ 2x

1 3
Answer: x²+2x+
2 2

(v) (pq6 – p6q) ÷ pq

Answer: q-p

3. Work out the following divisions.

(i) (10x – 25) ÷ 5

Answer: 2x-5

(ii) (10x – 25) ÷ (2x – 5)

Answer: 5

(iii) 10y(6y + 21) ÷ 5(2y + 7)

Answer: 2y × 3 = 6y

(iv) 9x²y² (3z – 24) ÷ 27xy(z – 8)

1
Answer: xy (3) = xy
3

(v) 96abc(3a – 12) (5b – 30) ÷ 144(a – 4) (b – 6)

2
Answer: abc(3)(5) = 10abc
3

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