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Algebraic Expressions-Notes

This document provides examples and explanations of techniques for factoring algebraic expressions, including: - Adding and subtracting polynomials - Multiplying algebraic expressions - Factoring common factors, trinomials, and expressions completely - Using special factoring formulas and factoring by grouping terms The goal is to teach students how to break down algebraic expressions into their factored form using various factoring methods and algebraic properties.

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30 views4 pages

Algebraic Expressions-Notes

This document provides examples and explanations of techniques for factoring algebraic expressions, including: - Adding and subtracting polynomials - Multiplying algebraic expressions - Factoring common factors, trinomials, and expressions completely - Using special factoring formulas and factoring by grouping terms The goal is to teach students how to break down algebraic expressions into their factored form using various factoring methods and algebraic properties.

Uploaded by

aceranobar
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 PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Section 1.

3 Algebraic Expressions
Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

EXAMPLES:
1. (x3 − 6x2 + 2x + 4) + (x3 + 5x2 − 7x) = (x3 + x3 ) + (−6x2 + 5x2 ) + (2x − 7x) + 4
= 2x3 − x2 − 5x + 4
2. (x3 − 6x2 + 2x + 4) − (x3 + 5x2 − 7x) = x3 − 6x2 + 2x + 4 − x3 − 5x2 + 7x
= (x3 − x3 ) + (−6x2 − 5x2 ) + (2x + 7x) + 4
= −11x2 + 9x + 4
3. x3 − 6x2 + 2x + 4 − x3 + 5x2 − 7x = (x3 − x3 ) + (−6x2 + 5x2 ) + (2x − 7x) + 4
= −x2 − 5x + 4
4. 5(3t − 4) − (t2 + 2) − 2t(t − 3) = 15t − 20 − t2 − 2 − 2t2 + 6t
= (−t2 − 2t2 ) + (15t + 6t) − 20 − 2
= −3t2 + 21t − 22

1
Multiplying Algebraic Expressions

EXAMPLES:
1. (2x + 1)(3x − 5) = 2x(3x − 5) + 1(3x − 5)
= (2x · 3x − 2x · 5) + (1 · 3x − 1 · 5)
= (6x2 − 10x) + (3x − 5)
= 6x2 − 10x + 3x − 5
= 6x2 − 7x − 5
2. (2x − 3)(x2 − 5x + 4) = 2x(x2 − 5x + 4) − 3(x2 − 5x + 4)
= (2x · x2 − 2x · 5x + 2x · 4) − (3 · x2 − 3 · 5x + 3 · 4)
= (2x3 − 10x2 + 8x) − (3x2 − 15x + 12)
= 2x3 − 10x2 + 8x − 3x2 + 15x − 12
= 2x3 − 13x2 + 23x − 12

Special Product Formulas

EXAMPLES:
1. (3x + 5)2 = (3x)2 + 2(3x)(5) + 52 = 9x2 + 30x + 25

2. (x2 − 2)3 = (x2 )3 − 3(x2 )2 (2) + 3(x2 )(2)2 − 23 = x6 − 6x4 + 12x2 − 8


√ √ √
3. (2x − y)(2x + y) = (2x)2 − ( y)2 = 4x2 − y

4. (x + y − 1)(x + y + 1) = [(x + y) − 1][(x + y) + 1] = (x + y)2 − 12 = x2 + 2xy + y 2 − 1

5. (x + y + z)(x − y − z) = [x + (y + z)][x − (y + z)] = x2 − (y + z)2 = x2 − y 2 − 2yz − z 2

6. (2x − 3 + y)(2x + 3 + y) = [(2x + y) − 3][(2x + y) + 3] = (2x + y)2 − 32 = 4x2 + 4xy + y 2 − 9

2
Factoring Common Factors
EXAMPLES:
1. 3x2 − 6x = 3x(x − 2)
2. 8x4 y 2 + 6x3 y 3 − 2xy 4 = (2xy 2 )(4x3 ) + (2xy 2 )(3x2 y) + (2xy 2 )(−y 2 ) = 2xy 2 (4x3 + 3x2 y − y 2 )

Factoring Trinomials
To factor a trinomial of the form x2 + bx + c, we note that
(x + r)(x + s) = x2 + (r + s)x + rs
so we need to choose numbers r and s so that r + s = b and rs = c.

EXAMPLES: We have
x2 + 7x + 12 = (x + 3)(x + 4) x2 − 2x − 3 = (x − 3)(x + 1)
To factor a trinomial of the form ax2 + bx + c with a 6= 1, we look for factors of the form px + r
and qx + s:
ax2 + bx + c = (px + r)(qx + s) = pqx2 + (ps + qr)x + rs
Therefore, we try to find numbers p, q, r, and s such that
pq = a, rs = c, ps + qr = b.
If these numbers are all integers, then we will have a limited number of possibilities to try for
p, q, r, and s.

EXAMPLE: To factor 6x2 + 7x − 5, we note that we can factor 6 as 6 · 1 or 3 · 2, and −5 as


−5 · 1 or 5 · (−1). By trying these possibilities, we arrive at the factorization
6x2 + 7x − 5 = (3x + 5)(2x − 1)
Here is an other way to get the same factorization:
 
2 6 · (−5) = −30 = 10 · (−3)
6x + 7x − 5 = = 6x2 − 3x + 10x − 5 = 3x(2x − 1) + 5(2x − 1)
7 = 10 + (−3)
= (2x − 1)(3x + 5)
EXAMPLE: We have
 
2 8 · 3 = 24 = (−12) · (−2)
8x − 14x + 3 = = 8x2 − 12x − 2x + 3 = 4x(2x − 3) − (2x − 3)
−14 = (−12) + (−2)
= 4x(2x − 3) − 1(2x − 3)
= (2x − 3)(4x − 1)
EXAMPLE: We have
(5a + 1)2 − 2(5a + 1) − 3 = [Put y = 5a + 1] = y 2 − 2y − 3 = (y − 3)(y + 1)

= [(5a + 1) − 3][(5a + 1) + 1]

= (5a − 2)(5a + 2)

3
Special Factoring Formulas

EXAMPLES:
1. 4x2 − 25 = (2x)2 − 52 = (2x − 5)(2x + 5)
2. (x + y)2 − z 2 = (x + y − z)(x + y + z)
3. 27x3 − 1 = (3x)3 − 13 = (3x − 1)[(3x)2 + (3x)(1) + 12 ] = (3x − 1)(9x2 + 3x + 1)
4. x6 + 8 = (x2 )3 + 23 = (x2 + 2)(x4 − 2x2 + 4)
5. x2 + 6x + 9 = x2 + 2(x)(3) + 32 = (x + 3)2
6. 4x2 − 4xy + y 2 = (2x)2 − 2(2x)(y) + y 2 = (2x − y)2

Factoring an Expression Completely


EXAMPLES:
1. x4 − y 4 = (x2 )2 − (y 2 )2 = (x2 − y 2 )(x2 + y 2 ) = (x − y)(x + y)(x2 + y 2 )
2. 2x4 − 8x2 = 2x2 (x2 − 4) = 2x2 (x − 2)(x + 2)
3. x5 y 2 − xy 6 = xy 2 (x4 − y 4 ) = xy 2 (x2 + y 2 )(x2 − y 2 ) = xy 2 (x2 + y 2 )(x + y)(x − y)
4. 3x3/2 − 9x1/2 + 6x−1/2 = 3x−1/2 (x2 − 3x + 2) = 3x−1/2 (x − 1)(x − 2)

5. (2 + x)−2/3 x + (2 + x)1/3 = (2 + x)−2/3 [x + (2 + x)] = (2 + x)−2/3 (2 + 2x)

= 2(2 + x)−2/3 (1 + x)

Factoring by Grouping Terms


EXAMPLES:
1. x3 + x2 + 4x + 4 = (x3 + x2 ) + (4x + 4) = x2 (x + 1) + 4(x + 1) = (x2 + 4)(x + 1)
2. x3 − 2x2 − 3x + 6 = (x3 − 2x2 ) − (3x − 6) = x2 (x − 2) − 3(x − 2) = (x2 − 3)(x − 2)

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