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Factoring Patterns

The document discusses different patterns for factoring polynomials: 1) Common monomial factor - factoring out the greatest common factor of all terms. 2) Difference of two perfect squares - factoring expressions of the form a^2 - b^2 into (a + b)(a - b). 3) Perfect square trinomial - expressions of the form a^2 + 2ab + b^2 can be factored into (a + b)^2. Examples are provided for each pattern along with exercises for the reader to practice factoring using these methods.

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Dianne Acosta
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148 views3 pages

Factoring Patterns

The document discusses different patterns for factoring polynomials: 1) Common monomial factor - factoring out the greatest common factor of all terms. 2) Difference of two perfect squares - factoring expressions of the form a^2 - b^2 into (a + b)(a - b). 3) Perfect square trinomial - expressions of the form a^2 + 2ab + b^2 can be factored into (a + b)^2. Examples are provided for each pattern along with exercises for the reader to practice factoring using these methods.

Uploaded by

Dianne Acosta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The square of a trinomial.

 
Show that it will equal the sum of the squares of each term, plus twice the
product of all combinations of the terms.

(  + c) = (a + b)2 + 2(a + b)c + c2


2

a2 + 2ab + b2  +  2ac +


  =
2bc  + c2
a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2ac +
=
2bc

Factoring Patterns
I. Common Monomial Factor

 Monomials can be broken down into their component parts. This is what we call
factoring monomials. This can be extended into factoring polynomials. What is done is
that we look for a factor of each part of the polynomial. We find a factor that is common
to each term. Then we divide out this common factor and place it in front of the
remainder of the terms of the polynomial.

1. Find the greatest common factor of 3x^2 + 24x + 9


2. Factor the polynomial 2n^3 + 6n^2 + 10n into the product of its greatest monomial
factor and another trinomial.
3. 6x^2 + 9x - 21
4. 4r^5 - 16r^3 + 20r^2
5. 10y^2 + 25y^3 - 5y 

II. Difference of two Perfect Squares


An algebraic term is a perfect square when the numerical coefficient (the number in front
of the variables) is a perfect square and the exponents of each of the variables
are even numbers.
a2 − b2 =(a + b)(a − b)
1. Factor:   x2 – 9 = (x + 3) (x – 3)
2. Factor 4y2 - 36y6 
There is a common factor of 4y2 that can be factored out first in this problem, to
make the problem easier.
                                         4y2 (1 - 9y4)
In the factor (1 - 9y4), 1 and 9y4 are perfect squares (their coefficients are perfect
squares and their exponents are even numbers).  Since subtraction is occurring
between these squares, this expression is the difference of two squares.

4y2 (1 - 3y2) (1 + 3y2)


3. the difference of two squares can be factored:
x2 − 25 = (x + 5)(x − 5)

4. 25m2 − 9n2

5. x4 − y
4 =(x2 + y2)(x2 − y2)

(x2 + y2)(x + y)(x 
  =
− y)
6. 1
=(1 + z4)(1 − z4)
− z8
  =(1 + z4)(1 + z2)(1 − z2)
(1 + z4)(1 + z2)(1 + z)
  =
(1 − z)

Completely factor each of the following.  First remove a common factor.  Then factor
the difference of two squares.
a)  xy2 − xz2  = x(y2 − z2) = x(y + z)(y − z)
b)  8x2 − 72  = 8(x2 − 9) = 8(x + 3)(x − 3)
c)  64z − z3  = z(64 − z2) = z(8 + z)(8 − z)
d)  rs3 − r3s  = rs(s2 − r2) = rs(s + r)(s − r)
e)  32m2n − 50n3  = 2n(16m2 − 25n2) = 2n(4m + 5n)(4m − 5n)
f)  5x4y5 − 5y5  = 5y5(x4 − 1) = 5y5(x2 + 1)(x + 1)(x − 1)

III. PERFECT SQUARE TRINOMIAL

Whenever you multiply a binomial by itself twice, the resulting trinomial is called a
perfect square trinomial

For example, (x + 1) × (x + 1) = x2 + x + x + 1 = x2 + 2x + 1 and x2 + 2x + 1 is a


perfect square trinomial

Another example is (x − 5) × (x − 5)

(x − 5) × (x − 5) = x2 + -5x + -5x + 25 = x2 + -10x + 25 and x2 + -10x + 25 is a perfect


square trinomial 

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b)2

and (a + b)2 is the factorization form for a2 + 2ab + b2 

1. Factor x2 + 2x + 1
2. Factor x2 + 24x + 144
3. Factor p2 + -18p + 81
4. Factor 4y2 + 48y + 144

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