Factoring

GREATEST COMMON FACTOR

1. Factor out the greatest common factor.

3x 2y 3 + 12x 3y 2 − 9x 4y 4

Solution:

The greatest common factor is 3x 2y 2, so the expression is factored as

3x 2y 2(y + 4x − 3x 2y 2)

2. Factor the polynomial in the numerator and simplify the resulting

3x 3 − 12x
= x2 −
3x

Solution:

The blank should be filled in with 4.

3x 3 − 12x
3x

3x(x 2 − 4)
3x

1
 x2 − 4

3. Factor the expression.

9s 3t 2 + 15s 2t 5 − 24s 5t + 6s 4t 2

Solution:

The greatest common factor is 3s 2t. When we factor out the 3s 2t, we have
to divide each term by 3s 2t.

3s 2t(3st + 5t 4 − 8s 3 + 2s 2t)

4. What went wrong when the polynomial was factored?

10x 3y 4 − 5x 4y 2 − 20x 6y 3

x 3y 2(10y 2 − 5x − 20x 3y)

Solution:

There’s a factor of 5 in each term that was not factored out. The factoring
should have been

5x 3y 2(2y 2 − x − 4x 3y)

2
 5. Factor the polynomial in the numerator and simplify the resulting
expression.

4x 4 − 8x 3 − 32x 2
4x 2

Solution:

Factor the greatest common factor out of the numerator,

4x 4 − 8x 3 − 32x 2
4x 2

4x 2(x 2 − 2x − 8)
4x 2

then cancel like terms from the numerator and denominator.

x 2 − 2x − 8

6. Fill in the blank with the correct term.

4a 3b − 10ab 2 + = 2ab(2a 2 − 5b + 3a 2b 2)

Solution:

3
The blank should be filled in with 6a 3b 3. We can see this by distributing the
2ab across the parentheses.

2ab(2a 2 − 5b + 3a 2b 2)

4a 3b − 10ab 2 + 6a 3b 3

4
QUADRATIC POLYNOMIALS

1. Factor the quadratic expression.

2x 2 + 2x − 12

Solution:

The greatest common factor is 2, so we first factor out a 2.

2(x 2 + x − 6)

Since (3)(−2) = − 6 and (3) + (−2) = 1, we see that x 2 + x − 6 factors as

(x + 3)(x − 2)

So the quadratic polynomial can be factored as

2(x + 3)(x − 2)

2. What went wrong when the polynomial was factored?

x 2 − 4x + 3

(x − 3)(x + 1)

Solution:

5
The second factor should have been (x − 1), instead of (x + 1). If we expand
the expression (x − 3)(x + 1), we get

(x − 3)(x + 1)

x 2 + x − 3x − 3

x 2 − 2x − 3

But if we instead factor x 2 − 4x + 3 as (x − 3)(x − 1), then we get back to the

(x − 3)(x − 1)

x 2 − x − 3x + 3

x 2 − 4x + 3

3. Factor the quadratic expression.

x 2 + 3x − 28

Solution:

Since (−4)(7) = − 28 and (−4) + (7) = 3, we see that x 2 + 3x − 28 factors as

(x − 4)(x + 7)

6
 4. Factor the quadratic expression.

x 2 − 9x + 18

Solution:

Since (−3)(−6) = 18 and (−3) + (−6) = − 9, we see that x 2 − 9x + 18 factors as

(x − 3)(x − 6)

5. Fill in the blank with the correct term.

5x 2 − 40x + 60 = (x − 2)(x − )

Solution:

The greatest common factor of the polynomial on the left is 5, so we first

5(x 2 − 8x + 12)

Since (−6)(−2) = 12 and (−6) + (−2) = − 8, we see that x 2 − 8x + 12 factors as

(x − 6)(x − 2)

So the quadratic polynomial can be factored as

5(x − 6)(x − 2)

7
 6. Factor the quadratic expression.

x2 − x − 2

Solution:

Since (−2)(1) = − 2 and (−2) + 1 = − 1, we see that x 2 − x − 2 factors as

(x − 2)(x + 1)

8
DIFFERENCE OF SQUARES

1. Factor the expression.

4y 2 − 36

Solution:

The expression can be rewritten as

4y 2 − 36

(2y)2 − (6)2

and factored as

(2y − 6)(2y + 6)

2. What went wrong when the polynomial was factored?

9a 4 − 25b 2

(9a 2 − 25b)(9a 2 + 25b)

Solution:

9
The coefficients were not taken into consideration when factoring the
expression. It should be first written as

9a 4 − 25b 2

(3a 2)2 − (5b)2

and then factored as the difference of squares.

(3a 2 − 5b)(3a 2 + 5b)

3. Factor the expression.

49x 6y 2 − 36z 4

Solution:

The expression can be rewritten as

49x 6y 2 − 36z 4

(7x 3y)2 − (6z 2)2

and factored as

(7x 3y − 6z 2)(7x 3y + 6z 2)

4. Fill in the blank with the correct term.

10
 − 25y 2 = (2xz 2 − 5y)(2xz 2 + 5y)

Solution:

The blank should be filled in with 4x 2 z 4.

5. Factor the expression.

2x 2 − 288

Solution:

The greatest common factor of this polynomial is 2, so we first factor out a

2(x 2 − 144)

Since x 2 and 144 are both perfect squares (the squares of x and 12,
respectively), x 2 − 144 is factored as (x − 12)(x + 12), so the polynomial
factors as

2(x − 12)(x + 12)

6. Factor the expression.

5a 3 − 20ab 2

11
Solution:

The greatest common factor of this polynomial is 5a, so we first factor out
a 5a.

5a(a 2 − 4b 2)

Since a 2 and 4b 2 are both perfect squares (the squares of a and 2b,
respectively), a 2 − 4b 2 is factored as (a − 2b)(a + 2b), so the polynomial
factors as

5a(a − 2b)(a + 2b)

12
ZERO THEOREM

1. Find the zeros of the function.

y = x 2 − 5x + 6

Solution:

The zeros are the x-values when y = 0. Set the equation equal to 0 and then
factor the left side.

x 2 − 5x + 6 = 0

(x − 2)(x − 3) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

x−2=0

x=2

and

x−3=0

x=3

The roots are x = 2 and x = 3.

13
 2. Find the zeros of the function.

y = x 2 − 4x − 5

Solution:

The zeros are the x-values when y = 0. Set the equation equal to 0 and then
factor the left side.

x 2 − 4x − 5 = 0

(x − 5)(x + 1) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

x−5=0

x=5

and

x+1=0

x =−1

The roots are x = 5 and x = − 1.

14
 3. Find the x-intercepts.

f (x) = x 2 + 10x + 24

Solution:

The x-intercepts are the x-values when f (x) = 0. Set the equation equal to 0
and then factor the left side.

x 2 + 10x + 24 = 0

(x + 6)(x + 4) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

x+6=0

x =−6

and

x+4=0

x =−4

The solutions are x = − 6 and x = − 4.

4. Find the x-intercepts.

15
 f (x) = x 2 − 7x + 6

Solution:

The x-intercepts are the x-values when f (x) = 0. Set the equation equal to 0
and then factor the left side.

x 2 − 7x + 6 = 0

(x − 6)(x − 1) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

x−6=0

x=6

and

x−1=0

x=1

The solutions are x = 6 and x = 1.

5. Use the Zero Theorem to find the solutions to the quadratic equation.

4x 2 − 16 = 0

16
Solution:

Factor the left side as the difference of squares.

4x 2 − 16 = 0

(2x − 4)(2x + 4) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

2x − 4 = 0

2x = 4

x=2

and

2x + 4 = 0

2x = − 4

x =−2

The solutions are x = 2 and x = − 2.

6. Use the Zero Theorem to find the solutions to the quadratic equation.

25 − 9x 2 = 0

17
Solution:

Factor the left side as the difference of squares.

25 − 9x 2 = 0

(5 − 3x)(5 + 3x) = 0

The Zero Theorem tells us that one or both factors must equal 0 in order
for the equation to equal 0. Set each factor equal to 0 and solve for x.

5 − 3x = 0

3x = 5

5
x=
3

and

5 + 3x = 0

3x = − 5

5
x=−
3

The solutions are x = 5/3 and x = − 5/3.

18
COMPLETING THE SQUARE

1. Solve for x by completing the square.

x 2 − 6x + 5 = 0

Solution:

Completing the square gives

x 2 − 6x = − 5

x 2 − 6x + 9 = − 5 + 9

(x − 3)2 = 4

x−3=±2

x =3±2

x = 1, 5

2. Fill in the blank with the correct term.

9 9
x2 − + =−2+
4 4

19
Solution:

We have the equation in the form

(2) (2)
2 2
2 b b
x + bx + =−c+

Therefore,

(2)
2
b 9
=
4

b 3
=
2 2

b=3

The blank should be the term 3x.

3. Complete the square but don’t solve for the roots.

y 2 − 4y + 1 = 0

Solution:

To complete the square, we first write the expression as

y 2 − 4y = − 1

Now complete the square as

20
 y 2 − 4y + 4 = − 1 + 4

(y − 2)2 = 3

4. Solve for y by completing the square.

y 2 + 3y = 1

Solution:

Completing the square gives

2 9 9
y + 3y + = 1 +
4 4

( 2)
2
3 13
y+ =
4

3 13
y=− ±
2 2

3± 13
y=−
2

5. Solve for x by completing the square.

x 2 + 6x + 11 = 0

21
Solution:

Completing the square gives

x 2 + 6x = − 11

x 2 + 6x + 9 = − 11 + 9

(x + 3)2 = − 2

x+3=± −2

x =−3± 2i

6. Solve for x by completing the square.

2x 2 + 8x + 35 = 0

Solution:

Completing the square gives

2x 2 + 8x = − 35

2 35
x + 4x = −
2

2 35
x + 4x + 4 = − +4
2

22
 27
(x + 2)2 = −
2

27
x+2=± −
2

27
x =−2± i
2

3
x =−2±3 i
2

23
QUADRATIC FORMULA

1. Write the quadratic formula for the following quadratic equation.

x 2 − 5x − 24 = 0

Solution:

In this problem a = 1, b = − 5, and c = − 24. The quadratic formula for the

−b ± b 2 − 4ac
x=
2a

−(−5) ± (−5)2 − 4(1)(−24)

We could continue to simplify to solve for the roots.

5± 25 + 96
x=
2

5± 121
x=
2

5 ± 11
x=
2

x = − 3, 8

24
 2. What went wrong in the way the quadratic formula was applied?

3x 2 − 5x + 10 = 0

−5 ± (−5)2 − 4(3)(10)
x=
2(3)

Solution:

The −b at the beginning of the quadratic formula is written as −5, but

3. Solve for z using the quadratic formula.

z2 = z + 3

Solution:

Rewrite the expression as

z2 = z + 3

z2 − z − 3 = 0

In this problem a = 1, b = − 1, and c = − 3. Then the quadratic formula gives

25
 −b ± b 2 − 4ac
x=
2a

−(−1) ± (−1)2 − 4(1)(−3)

1± 13
z=
2

4. Fill in the blank with the correct term if the quadratic formula below
was built from the quadratic equation.

x 2 + 3x − 5 = 0

−3 ± 32 − 4(−2)(−5)
x=
2(−2)

Solution:

The blank should be filled in with −2.

5. What went wrong if the quadratic formula below was built from the
quadratic equation?

x 2 + 2x = 7

26
 −2 ± 22 − 4(1)(7)
x=
2(1)

Solution:

The expression was not written in the correct form before using the
quadratic formula. It should be written as x 2 + 2x − 7 = 0, for which the
quadratic formula would then be

−2 ± 22 − 4(1)(−7)
x=
2(1)

6. Solve for t using the quadratic formula.

4t 2 − 1 = − 8t

Solution:

Rewrite the expression as

4t 2 − 1 = − 8t

4t 2 + 8t − 1 = 0

In this problem a = 4, b = 8, and c = − 1. Then the quadratic formula is

27
 −b ± b 2 − 4ac
x=
2a

−8 ± 82 − 4(4)(−1)
t=
2(4)

−8 ± 64 + 16
t=
8

−8 ± 4 5
t=
8

−2 ± 5
t=
2

28
29