Contents

Factoring Methods....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Factoring out the greatest monomial factor................................................................................................................................................................2
Grouping...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Factoring x 2+ bx+ c.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Factoring ax2 + bx + c with grouping............................................................................................................................................................................7
Special Patterns for factoring....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Perfect Square Trinomials:......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Systems of Equations Terminology............................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Systems of Equations Methods.................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Systems of Equations Applications............................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Radicals...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Solving Quadratic Equations...................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Graphing a Quadratic Equation.................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Functions:.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19

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Factoring Methods
a) Factor out the Greatest Common Factor or GCF.
b) Factor by grouping (4 terms only)
c) Factor x 2+ bx+ c (find which factor pair of c adds up to b.)
d) Factor a x 2 +bx+ c
1. With Grouping
e) Difference of two squares x 2− y 2=( x− y )( x= y )
f) Perfect square trinomial
1. x 2+ 2 xy + y 2= ( x + y )2
2. x 2−2 xy+ y 2=( x− y )2

Factoring out the greatest monomial factor

Factor 12 x3 −6 x2

First find the greatest common factor (GCF) = 6 x 2

Put it in front of a set of parentheses - 6 x 2 ()

To fill in the parentheses ask yourself, “What do I need to multiply the GCF by to get each term of the original polynomial?”

6x2 * ? = 12x3 → ? = 2x

6x2 * ? = -6x2 → ? = -1

Thus, 2x - 1 will go inside the parentheses producing the final answer of 6x 2(2x – 1).

Notice the answer is now a product instead of a sum.

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Factor 75 x 5+100 x 4 −50 x GCF = 25x

We have 25x( )

25 x∗? ¿ 75 x → ? ¿ 3 x 25 x∗? ¿ 100 x →? ¿ 4 x 25 x∗? ¿−50 x → ? ¿−2

5 4 4 3

So, 3 x 4 +4 x3 −2 goes in the parentheses → 25 x ( 3 x 4 +4 x 3 −2 ) = final answer

Grouping
Note: A polynomial must have an even number of terms to use this method.

Common Binomial Factors

3 x 2 ( 2 x−5 )−4 ( 2 x−5 ): The factor 2x - 5 is common binomial to both terms of this polynomial. We can factor it out and put it in
front of a parenthesis → ( 2 x−5 )() . The second set of parentheses is filled by the remaining monomials 3x 2 and -5.

We get ( 2 x−5 ) ( 3 x 2−5 ) as our final answer.

Factor x 2−5 x+ x −5

Step 1: Put into groups such that each group has a common factor
2
[ x −5 x ]+[x −5]

Step 2: Factor out the common factor of each group

x ( x−5)+1(x−5)

Step 3: Factor out the common binomial

Answer is ( x−5)(x +1)

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Factor 4 x3 −2 x 2−6 x +3

Step 1: [4 x 3−2 x 2 ]+[−6 x +3]

Step 2: 2 x2 (2 x−1)−3(2 x−1)

Step 3: ( 2 x−1 ) ( 2 x 2−3 )

Factor x 2−4 x+3 x−12

Step 1: [ x2 +3 x ]+[−4 x−12]

Step 2: x ( x+ 3)−4 ( x +3)

Step 3: ( x +3 ) ( x −4 )

Factoring x 2+ bx+ c
2
Notice in this form there is no coefficient in front of the x term.

This method has two steps.

Step 1: List all factors of c

Step 2: Choose the factor pair that adds up to b.

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 2
Factor x + 7 x +12

The factor pairs of 12 are [1, 12], [2, 6], and [3, 4]

1 + 12 = 13

2+6=8

3+4=7

We choose the factor pair that adds up to b. In this case that is [3, 4]

So, x 2+ 7 x +12= (x + 3)(x + 4)

2
Factor x −15 x +56

The factor pairs of 56 are [1, 56], [-1, -56], [2, 28], [-2, -28], [4, 14], [-4, -14], [7, 8], and [-7, -8]. Notice that the negative factor pairs
are included because we need a pair that adds up to –15.

-7 + -8 = -15 so, we choose [-7, -8]

Thus, x 2−15 x+56 = (x – 7)(x – 8)

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Factor x 2−12 x−28

The factor pairs of –28 are [-1, 28], [1, -28], [-2, 14], [2, -14], [-4, 7], and [4, -7]. Notice we include positive and negative values for all
factors of –28. We do this because a positive times a negative equals a negative. So, either member of the factor pair can be the
negative factor.

2 + -14 = -12 so, we choose [2, -14]

Thus, x 2−12 x−28 = (x + 2)(x – 14)

Factor x 2+ 9 x−10

The factor pairs of –10 are [1, -10], [-1, 10], [2, -5], and [-2, 5]

-1 + 10 = 9 so, we choose [-1, 10]

Thus, x 2+ 9 x−10= (x – 1)(x + 10)

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Factoring ax2 + bx + c with grouping
a is the coefficient of the x2 term, b is the coefficient of the x term, and c is the constant term.

Step 1: Multiply a * c

Step 2: Find all factor pairs of a * c

Step 3: Pick the factor pair that adds up to b

Step 4: rewrite the original trinomial replacing bx with the factor pair chosen in step 3.

Step 5: Factor by grouping.

Factor 2 x2 +5 x +2

For this polynomial a = 2, b = 5, and c = 2

Step 1: a * c = 2 * 2 = 4

Step 2: Factor pairs of 4: [(4, 1) and (2, 2)]

Step 3: 4 + 1 = 5 and 2 + 2 = 4, b = 5 so we chose (4, 1)

Step 4: 2 x2 + 4 x+ x+2

Note: Replace 5x with 4x + 1x

Step 5: Factor by Grouping

[ 2 x2 + 4 x ]+ [ x +2 ] 2 x ( x +2 ) +1 ( x +2 ) (x +2)(2 x +1) = final answer

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Factor 10 y 2−13 y−30

Step 1: 10 * -30 = -300

Step 2: Factor pairs of –300: [1, -300], [-1, 300], [2, -150], [-2, 150], [3, -100], [-3, 100], [4, -75], [-4, 75], [5, -60], [-5, 60], [6, -50], [-6,
50], [10, -30], [-10, 30], [12, -25], [-12, 25], [15, -20], [-15, 20]

Step 3: 12 + -25 = -13 So, we choose [12, -25]

Step 4: Replace -13y with 12y – 25y based on the pair chosen in step 3.
2
10 y + 12 y −25 y−30

Step 5: Factor by Grouping [ 10 y 2+ 12 y ] + [ −25 y−30 ]2 y ( 5 y +6 )−5 ( 5 y+ 6 )( 5 y +6 ) ( 2 y−5 ) is final answer

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Special Patterns for factoring
The difference of two squares: a 2−b2= ( a+b )( a−b ) This pattern can only be used to factor binomials. It can only be used if the first
term is a square and the last term is a square and they are being subtracted.
2 2
x −64 x ⋅ x= x ∧8⋅ 8=64 Thus, both the first and last terms are squares.
2
x −64=( x +8 ) ( x−8 )

25 x 2−81=( 5 x +9 ) ( 5 x−9 )

2
100 x −1=( 10 x+ 1 )( 10 x−1 )

75x2 - 48

As written neither 75 nor 48 is a square. Can we factor out a greatest common factor and produce perfect squares?

 
3 25 x 2  16  35 x  4 5 x  4 

405 x 3  180 x Factor out the greatest common factor of 45x

45 x ( 9 x −4 )=45 x ( 3 x+ 2 )( 3 x−2 )
2

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Perfect Square Trinomials:
a 2+2 ab+ b2=( a+b )2a 2−2 ab+b 2=( a−b )2

2
x + 4 x +4

Is this a perfect square trinomial?

Yes, because both x 2∧4 are perfect squares and 2*2*x=4x the middle term
2
x 2+ 4 x +4 =( x +4 )

Factor 9 x 2−42 x +493 x∗3 x=9 x 27∗7=492 ( 3 x ) ( 7 )=42 x Answer is ( 3 x−7 )2

Factor 16 x 2+ 30 x +814 x∗4 x=16 x29∗9=81 ,but 2 ( 4 x ) ( 9 ) ≠ 30 x This is not factorable using special patterns

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Factor 20 x 2+100 x +125 5 ( 4 x 2 +20 x+25 ) Note: Factored out the greatest common factor of 5. 2 x∗2 x =4 x 25∗5=25 2 ( 2 x ) ( 5 )=20 x
Answer is 5 ( 2 x +5 )2

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Systems of Equations Terminology
Graph

Description Graph of a system of equation with Graph of a system of equations with Graph of a system of equations with
Intersecting Lines Parallel Lines Overlapping Lines
Example 2x + 3y = 5 2x + 3y = 4 2x + 3y = 4
3x – 3y = 0 4x + 6y = -4 4x + 6y = 8
Solution = (1, 1) Solution is 0 = -12 Solution is 0 = 0
Solution is false Solution is always true
Solution One Solution = Point of intersection = No Solution = ∅ = N Infinite Solutions = I
(x, y)
Math Terminology Independent Equations Inconsistent Equations Dependent Equations

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Systems of Equations Methods
Graphing Substitution Elimination
Graph both equations on Rewrite one equation so that it is one Rewrite one or both equations so the coefficients in
a coordinate plain. Find variable in terms of the other like y = 2x – front of variables are matching and opposites of each
the point where the two 5. Then, replace the variable in the second other such as 2 and -2. Then, adding the two equations
lines intersect. This equation with the expression from the first together to eliminate one variable. Solve for the
will be the solution to and solve for the single remaining variable. remaining variable. Finally, plug the result into either of
the system Finally, plug that result back into the first the original equation to determine the other variable.
equation to determine the second
variable.
2x + 3y = 5 x−5 y=11 3 x+ 4 y =−5
3x – 3y = 0 2 x+ 9 y =−16 5 x+ 6 y=−7

To substitute we need to solve one of the Here we have to alter both equations
equations for one of the variables. Choose
the first to solve for x. Multiply the top equation by 5 and the bottom
equation by –3 and you will produce 15x and –15x
x – 5y = 11 add 5y to both sides which will eliminate the x variable

The image above is a x = 5y + 11 5(3 x +4 y=−5)−3(5 x +6 y=−7)15 x+ 20 y =−25

screen shot of a table of
values representing −15 x−18 y=21
Now, we can substitute 5y + 11 for x in the
points that lie on both second equation and solve for y.
equations in the given Add the two altered equations to get
system. 2y = -4
2 ( 5 y+11 ) + 9 y =−16 y = -2
10 y +22+9 y=−1619 y +22=−16
19 y=−38 y=−2 Now, we can replace y with -2 in either of the original
equations and solve for x.
Now we can replace y with –2 to solve for
x. 3x + 4(-2) = -5
This image above is a x=5(−2)+11=1 3x – 8 = -5
screen shot of the graph Solution:(1, -2) 3x = 3
of the given system x=1

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 equations where the Solution (1, -2)
lines intersect and the
solution is the point of
intersection (1, 1)
Point of intersection is at
(1,1), so the solution to
the system of equations
is (1,1)

Systems of Equations Applications

How do you know?: A system of equations application will have two variables that are being related in two ways. Generally, one
way will be the total amount/quantity of the two variables combined. This will look like this equation x + y = total amount. The
second equation generally relates the total cost. The equation will look like this: (cost of item 1 X amount of item 1) + (cost of item 2
X amount of item 2) = (cost of combined items X total amount) or Ax + By = C.

What do you do: You will first determine the equations that make up the system. Then you will use one of the methods (Graphing,
Substitution, or Elimination) to solve the system.

Example: A woman is buying Christmas presents for her 9 grandchildren. She bought some Hot Wheels cars and some dolls. The
total cost of her purchase was $140.46. The cost of the Hot Wheels was $12.58 per car and the cost of the dolls was $17.12 per doll.
How many of each did she buy?

Let x = Hot Wheels and let y = dolls

She has 9 grandchildren so the total items bought must be 9. Therefore, Hot Wheels plus dolls = 9 or x + y = 9

The total cost is $140.46. So, cost of Hot Wheels plus cost of dolls equals $140.46. The cost of the Hot Wheels is cost of an
individual car times the number of cars bought or 12.58x. The cost of the dolls is the cost of an individual doll times the number of
dolls bought or 17.12y.

So, 12.58x + 17.12y = 140.46

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The system is x+y=9

12.58x + 17.12y = 140.46

We can multiply the top equation by -12.58 to get -12.58x – 12.58y = -113.22

Add the above to the second equation to get 4.54y = 27.24

Divide both sides by 4.54 to get y = 6. So, 6 dolls were bought. This means 3 Hot Wheels were bought as she bought 9 total toys.

Radicals
This (√❑) is the radical symbol. So, a radical is number underneath the radical symbol.

√ 4 is rational because it can be equal to 2 or -2, both of which are rational numbers.
√ 8 is irrational because it is equal to a decimal that never repeats and is infinite.
Simplify √ 180

To do this we must figure out the largest perfect square that dives evenly into the given number. The perfect squares through 100
are 4, 9, 16. 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, and 100. If we start dividing 180 by the numbers in this list, we will find that 4, 9, and 36 all divide
into 180 evenly. 36 is the largest so we will work with it. 36 times 5 equals 180. So, we can rewrite √ 180 to be √ 36∗√5 . √ 36=6.
Therefore, √ 180=6 √ 5.

Simplify √ 1800

This one we will take in steps. 1800 is divisible by 100, which is in our list of perfect squares. So, we can rewrite √ 1800 as
√ 100∗ √18.
18 is divisible by 9, which is also in our list of perfect squares. So, we can rewrite √ 18 as √ 9∗√2 .

Now, √ 1800= √ 100∗√ 9∗√ 2=10∗3∗√ 2=30 √ 2

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Multiply √ 48∗√ 45

We could multiply these together to get √ 2160. However, this is not an easy number to simplify. Instead let’s simply each of our
radicals first and then multiply.

√ 48=√ 16∗√3=4 √3
√ 45=√ 9∗ √5=3 √5
So, √ 48∗√ 45=4 √3∗3 √5=4∗3∗√ 3∗√ 5=12 √ 15 Note: We multiplied the numbers in front of the radicals together to get the 12
and the two numbers under the radicals to get √ 15. 12 and √ 15 are not like, so we must stop at this point.

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Solving Quadratic Equations
Factoring Square Root Quadratic Formula
Set equation equal to Take square root of both sides −b ± √ b −4 ac
2
x=
zero Add ± in front of right side 2a
Factor left side of Solve for x Identify a, b, and c from
equation ax2 + bx + c
Set each factor equal to Plug into formula
zero Simplify
Solve for x
x2 – 6x = -8 ( x +6 )2=7 X2 – 4x - 5 = 0
x2 – 6x + 8 = 0 √ ( x+ 6 )2=√ 7 a = 1, b = -4, and c = -5
(x – 4)(x – 2) = 0 −(−4)± √ (−4 ) −4 ( 1 ) (−5)
2
x +6=± √ 7 x=
x – 4 = 0 or x – 2 = 0 x=−6 ± √ 7 2(1)
x = 4 or x = 2 x=−6 + √7∨x=−6− √7
x= √
4 ± 16+20
2
x= √ =
4 ± 36 4 ± 6
2 2
4 +6 4−6
x= ∨
2 2
X = 5 or x = -1

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Graphing a Quadratic Equation
The graph of a quadratic equation is called a parabola. It looks like this. A parabola look like a smile when it is right side up and a
frown when it is upside down.

The above image is the graph of a quadratic equation in the shape of a parabola with the parabola right side up. .

To graph a quadratic equation one needs three points. These should be the vertex, and one additional point on either side of the
vertex. The vertex is the point at apex of the graph.

−B
The standard form of the quadratic equation is y= A x 2 + Bx+C . The formula for finding the x-coordinate of the vertex is x= .
2A
Once, we have the x – coordinate we plug that in to the given equation and solve for y.

Find the vertex for y=3 x 2 +12 x−8. In this case, A = 3 and B = 12. Plugging these values into tho the formula gets us
−12 −12
x= = =−2. The x-coordinate of the vertex is -2.
2 ( 3) 6

To get the y-coordinate we plug -2 in for x into y=3 x 2 +12 x−8 and solve for y.
2
y=3 (−2 ) +12 (−2 )−8=12−24−8=−20

The vertex for the given quadratic equation is (-2, -20)

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Now, we need to find two additional points. We know that the graph is centered at x = -2. So, we pick two additional x – values on
either side of -2. Let’s use 0 and -3. Plug both of these into the original quadratic equation to get the y-coordinates of the
additional points.

y=3 ( 0 )2+12 ( 0 ) −8=0+0−8=−8 We have a point at (0, -8)

2
y=3 (−3 ) +12 (−3 ) −8=27−36−8=−17 We have a point at (-3, -17)

Now, we can plot the three points. Always plot the vertex point first and then the others.

Functions:
Function notation: f(x) = x + 2. This reads as f of x equals x + 2.

f(x) is equivalent to y.

Definition: A function is a relationship between x and y such that for each x, there is one and only one y-value.

Domain: The set of all x-values for which the function is defined.

Range: The set of all y values for which the function is defined.

Types of functions:

f(x) = x + 2 → linear function. This has a graph that looks like a line.

f(x) = x2 + 7x – 8 → Quadratic function. This has a graph that looks like a parabola.

f(x) = |x| → Absolute Value function. This has a graph that looks like a vee.

Vertical Line Test: If a vertical line intersects a graph once and only once no matter where it is drawn, the graph represents a
function.

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Evaluate a function: Replace x with the given value and simplify the result.

Evaluate f(x) = -x2 – 5x + 8 for x = -2

Replace x with -2 to get f(-2) = -(-2)2 -5(-2) + 8

Simplify the result. Be careful to track and deal with all negative or minus signs correctly.

f(-2) = -(-2)2 -5(-2) + 8 = -(4) + 10 + 8 = 14

We have found f(-2) = 14 and defined the point (x, y) to be (-2, 14).

Evaluate f(x) = |x – 7| for x = -3

f(-3) = |-3 – 7| = |-10| = 10

Note: Remember that absolute value always returns a positive result.

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