Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault

Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

FACTORING
What is a factor?
Factoring is like using distributive property in reverse.

x 2 + 6x + 5
= x( x + 1) + 5( x + 1)
= (x + 1)(x + 5)
* Last line is the factored form, with everything in brackets.

TYPES OF FACTORING
#1) Greatest Common Factor/G.C.F. (always try this type
first!!!)

STEPS:
1. Find the G.C.F. in each term.
2. Write the G.C.F. followed by brackets.
3. Divide each term in the polynomial by the G.C.F. to obtain the term in the
brackets.

EX. 1:
24 x 3 − 18 x 2 + 36 x
(
= 6 x 4 x 2 − 3x + 6 )
EX. 2:
135a 4 b 4 − 105a 3b 2 + 90a 2 b 3 − 30a 2 b 2
(
= 15a 2 b 2 9a 2 b 2 − 7a + 6b − 2 )
EX. 3:
12a 3 c 2 − 16a 2 c + 8ac 2
(
= 4ac 3a 2 c − 4a + 2c )

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student
#2) Factoring by Grouping (use when there are 4
terms.)

STEPS:
1. Group the terms that have common factors together.
2. Remove the Greatest Common Factor in each group.
3. Match up the brackets.

EX. 1:
x 2 + 3x + 8 x + 24
= x(x + 3) + 8(x + 3)
= (x + 8)( x + 3)
EX. 2:
abx + aby + acx + acy
= ab(x + y ) + ac( x + y )
= (ab + ac )( x + y )
EX. 3:
16ay 2 z − ax 2 z − 16ay 2 + ax 2
(
= a 16 y 2 z − x 2 z − 16 y 2 + x 2 )
= a[z (16 y − x ) − 1(16 y
2 2 2
− x2 )]
= a( z − 1)(16 y − x )
2 2

EX. 4:
2ax + 4ay + 6az + 2 z
= 2(ax + 2ay + 3az + z ) - Answer
≠ 2[a ( x + 2 y ) + (?)]

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

#3) Difference of Squares

WHEN TO USE:
1. Two terms.
2. Subtraction.
3. You know the square root of both terms.
4. *Use F.O.I.L. to check your answers.

EX. 1:
a2 − b2
= (a + b )(a − b )
EX. 2:
a 4 − 16
( )(
= a2 + 4 a2 − 4 )
EX. 3:
9a 2 − 16
= (3a + 4 )(3a − 4 )
EX. 4:
49 x 6 − 64 y 4
(
= 7x3 − 8y 2 7x3 + 8y 2)( )
EX. 5:
20a 2 − 80 y 2
(
= 20 a 2 − 4 y 2 )
= 20(a − 2 y )(a + 2 y )
EX. 6:
− 81x 4 + 9 y 2
(
= 9 − 9x 4 + y 2 )
= 9( y − 9 x )
2 4

= 9( y − 3 x )( y + 3 x )
2 2

EX. 7:
(x + 1)2 − 9
= [( x + 1) + 3][( x + 1) − 3]
= (x + 4 )( x − 2 )

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

#4) Factoring Trinomials of Type: x 2 + bx + c

STEPS:
m+n =b
1. Find 2 numbers “m” and “n” such that:
m×n = c
2. Write the product as ( x + m )( x + n )

EX. 1:
x 2 + 7 x + 12
= ( x + 3)( x + 4 )
SUM = 7
PRODUCT = 12
(3, 4)
EX. 2:
y 2 − 17 y + 30
= ( y − 2)( y − 15)
SUM = -17
PRODUCT = 30
(-2, -15)
EX. 3:
x 2 + 12 xy + 20 y 2
= (x + 2 y )( x + 10 y )
SUM = 12
PRODUCT = 20
(2, 10)

* Check work using F.O.I.L.*

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

#5) Factoring Trinomials Type: ax 2 + bx + c

ax 2 + bx + c
a ≠1

STEPS:
1. Find 2 numbers: sum = b; product = ac
2. Split the middle term using these numbers.
3. Factor by grouping.

EX. 1:
2 x 2 + 5x + 2
= 2x 2 + 4x + x + 2
= 2 x(x + 2) + 1( x + 2)
= (2 x + 1)( x + 2)
SUM = 5
PRODUCT = 4
(1, 4)
EX. 2:
4b 2 − 12b + 9
= 4b 2 − 6b − 6b + 9
= 2b(2b − 3) − 3(2b − 3)
= (2b − 3)(2b − 3)
= (2b − 3)
2

SUM = -12
PRODUCT = 36
(6, 6)

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student
#6) Completing the Square

STEPS:
2
⎛b⎞
1. Add and subtract ⎜ ⎟ to the polynomial.
⎝2⎠
2. Regroup and factor the perfect square.
3. Check if it is a difference of squares.

EX. 1:
x 2 + 6x + 8
2 2
⎛6⎞ ⎛6⎞
= x + 6x + 8 + ⎜ ⎟ − ⎜ ⎟
2

⎝2⎠ ⎝2⎠
= (x 2 + 6 x + 9) − 9 + 8
= (x + 3)( x + 3) − 1
= (x + 3) − 1
2

= [( x + 3) − 1][( x + 3) + 1]
= (x + 2)(x + 4)
SUM = 6
PRODUCT = 9
(3, 3)
EX. 2:
x 2 + 6x + 5
2 2
⎛6⎞ ⎛6⎞
= x 2 + 6x + 5 + ⎜ ⎟ − ⎜ ⎟
⎝2⎠ ⎝2⎠
= (x + 6 x + 9) − 9 + 5
2

= ( x + 3)( x + 3) − 4
= ( x + 3) − 4
2

= [( x + 3) − 2][( x + 3) + 2]
= ( x − 1)( x + 5)
SUM = 6
PRODUCT = 9
(3, 3)

USE F.O.I.L. TO CHECK ANSWERS

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

Perfect Squares:
x 2 + 6x + 9
Square of the 1st term, sign (+, -) of the 2nd term and square root of the 3rd .
(x + 3) 2

#8) Type ax 2 + bx + c

STEPS:
1. Factor out the “a”.
2
⎛ b ⎞
2. Add and subtract ⎜ ⎟ .
⎝ 2a ⎠
3. Regroup and factor (perfect square)
4. Factor using difference of squares.

EX. 1:
4 x 2 − 32 x + 16
(
= 4 x 2 − 8x + 4 )
⎛ 2 2
⎛8⎞ ⎛8⎞
2
⎞
= 4 x − 8x + ⎜ ⎟ − ⎜ ⎟ + 4 ⎟
⎜
⎜ ⎝2⎠ ⎝2⎠ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
[( )
= 4 x − 8 x + 16 − 16 + 4
2
]
[
= 4 ( x − 4) − 12
2
]
= 4(x − 4) − 48
2

EX. 2:
4 x 2 − 12 x + 8
= 4(x 2 − 3x + 2)
⎛ 2 ⎛ − 3⎞ ⎛ − 3⎞
2 2
⎞
⎜
= 4 x − 3x + ⎜ ⎟ −⎜ ⎟ + 2⎟
⎜ ⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎡⎛ 9 ⎞ 9 8⎤
= 4⎢⎜ x 2 − 3 x + ⎟ − + ⎥
⎣⎝ 4 ⎠ 4 4⎦
⎡⎛ 3⎞
2
1⎤
= 4⎢⎜ x − ⎟ − ⎥
⎣⎢⎝ 2⎠ 4 ⎦⎥
⎡⎛ 3 1 ⎞⎛ 3 1 ⎞⎤
= 4⎢⎜ x − − ⎟⎜ x − + ⎟⎥
⎣⎝ 2 2 ⎠⎝ 2 2 ⎠⎦
= 4( x − 2)( x − 1)

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