Magicians

They are all MASTERS of Magic!!

 It is my GOAL
for each of you to become
MASTERS of
FACTORING
 Factoring Expressions

-Greatest Common Factor

(GCF)
-Difference of 2 Squares
 Objectives
• I can factor expressions using
the Greatest Common Factor
Method (GCF)
• I can factor expressions using
the Difference of 2 Squares
Method
 What is Factoring?
• Quick Write: Write down everything you
know about Factoring.
• You can use Bullets or give examples

• 2 Minutes
 Factoring?
• Factoring is a method to find the basic
numbers and variables that made up a
product.
• (Factor) x (Factor) = Product
• Some numbers are Prime, meaning they are
only divisible by themselves and 1
 Method 1
• Greatest Common Factor (GCF) – the
greatest factor shared by two or more
numbers, monomials, or polynomials
• ALWAYS try this factoring method 1st
before any other method
• Divide Out the Biggest common
number/variable from each of the terms
 Greatest Common Factors
aka GCF’s
Find the GCF for each set of following numbers.
Find means tell what the terms have in common.
Hint: list the factors and find the greatest match.

a) 2, 6 2
b) -25, -40 -5
c) 6, 18
6
d) 16, 32
e) 3, 8 16
1
No common factors?
GCF =1
 Greatest Common Factors
aka GCF’s
Find the GCF for each set of following
numbers.
Hint: list the factors and find the greatest match.

a) x, x 2 x
x2
b) x2, x3
xy
c) xy, x2y
2x2
d) 2x3, 8x2
3x2
e) 3x3, 6x2
1 No common factors?
f) 4x2, 5y3 GCF =1
 Greatest Common Factors
aka GCF’s
Factor out the GCF for each polynomial:
Factor out means you need the GCF times the
remaining parts.

a) 2x + 4y 2(x + 2y)
5(a – b) How can you check?
b) 5a – 5b
c) 18x – 6y 6(3x – y)

d) 2m + 6mn 2m(1 + 3n)

e) 5x2y – 10xy 5xy(x - 2)

 FACTORING by GCF
Take out the GCF EX:
15xy2 – 10x3y + 25xy3

How: Solution:
Find what is in common 5xy( 3y – 2x2 + 5y2 )
in each term and put in
front. See what is left
over.
Check answer by
distributing out.
 FACTORING
Take out the GCF EX:
2x4 – 8x3 + 4x2 – 6x

How: Solution:
Find what is in common 2x(x3 – 4x2 + 2x – 3)
in each term and put in
front. See what is left
over.
Check answer by
distributing out.
 Ex 1

• 15x2 – 5x
• GCF = 5x
• 5x(3x - 1)
 Ex 2

• 8x2 – x
• GCF = x
• x(8x - 1)
 Method #2

• Difference of Two
Squares
• a2 – b2 = (a + b)(a - b)
 What is a Perfect Square
• Any term you can take the square root
evenly (No decimal)
• 25 5
• 36 6
• 1 1
• x2 x
• y4 y 2
 Difference of
Perfect Squares

x –4
2
=
the answer will look like this: ( )( )

take the square root of each part:

( x 2)(x 2)
Make 1 a plus and 1 a minus:
(x + 2)(x - 2 )
 FACTORING
Difference of Perfect EX:
Squares x2 – 64

How: Solution:
Take the square root of (x – 8)(x + 8)
each part. One gets a +
and one gets a -.
Check answer by FOIL.
 YOUR TURN!!

Using White Boards

 Example 1

• (9x2 – 16)
• (3x + 4)(3x – 4)
 Example 2

• x2 – 16
• (x + 4)(x –4)
 Ex 3

• 36x2 – 25
• (6x + 5)(6x – 5)
 More than ONE Method
• It is very possible to use more than one
factoring method in a problem
• Remember:

• ALWAYS use GCF first

 Example 1

• 2b2x – 50x
• GCF = 2x
• 2x(b2 – 25)
• 2nd term is the diff of 2 squares
• 2x(b + 5)(b - 5)
 Example 2
• 32x3 – 2x
• GCF = 2x
• 2x(16x2 – 1)
• 2nd term is the diff of 2 squares
• 2x(4x + 1)(4x - 1)
Rules for Factoring Polynomials
 Step by Step
• Is there a GCF?
– Yes
• Factor as the product of the GCF and one other factor—i.e.
GCF•(the other factor). Look at the other factor and go to the
next step below with it.
– No
• Go the the next step.
• Is it a binomial?
– Yes
• Is it a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)
– Yes—Factor as (a+b)(a-b).
– No—It can’t be factored any more.
– No
• Go to the next step.
• Is it a trinomial?
– Yes
• Do you recognize it as a pattern for a perfect square
trinomial? (a2+2ab+b2) or (a2-2ab+b2)
– Yes—Factor as (a+b)2 or (a-b)2
– No—Go to next step.
• Use the ac and b pattern to look for factors.
• Can you find factors of ac that add up to b?
– Yes—Rewrite the equation with those factors, group, and
factor.
– No—You can’t do anything else. If there’s no GCF, it’s a
prime polynomial.
– No
• Go to the next step.
• Is it a four-term polynomial?
– Yes
• Are there two sets of terms that you can group
together that have a common factor?
– Yes—Group and factor.
– No—If it doesn’t have a GCF, it’s a prime polynomial.
– No
• If it doesn’t have a GCF, it’s a prime polynomial.
 NOTE:
At EVERY step along the way, you
must look at the factors that you get to
see if they can be factored any more.

Factoring completely means that no factors can be

broken down any further using any of the rules
you’ve learned.
 Practice
Factor completely.
2
x  14 x  24 Is there a GCF?

No. Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?

It’s a trinomial.
Do you recognize it as a perfect square trinomial?
No. Use ac and b.
 ac b
1 • 24 14 Use your handy-dandy calculator or
your super math skills to find 12
24 and 2 as the factors to use.
12, 2

Rewrite the equation with those two factors in the middle.

2
x  14 x  24
2
x  12 x  2 x  24 Group.
2
( x  12 x)  (2 x  24) Factor out the GCF
from each group.
x( x  12)  2( x  12) Write the two factors.
( x  12)( x  2) Neither one of these factors can be
broken down any more, so you’re done.
Factor completely
3 2
3x  9 x Is there a GCF?

Yes. Write the GCF first and the remaining factor after it.
2
3 x ( x  3) Look at the remaining factor. (x-3)

Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?

It’s a binomial. Is it a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)

No. You can’t do anything else.

2
3 x ( x  3) is the completely factored form.
Factor completely
2
4 s  16 Is there a GCF?
Yes. Write the GCF first and the remaining factor after it.
2
4 ( s  4) Look at the remaining factor. (s2-4)
Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a binomial. Is it a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)
Yes. s2 is a square (s • s) and 4 is a square (2 • 2).
Factor as (s+2)(s-2). Then write the complete
factorization.

4( s  2)( s  2)
 Factor completely

4my  20m  3 py  15 p Is there a GCF?

No. There is no single factor that goes into all four of the terms.
Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a four-term polynomial. Factor by grouping.

(4my  20m)  (3 py  15 p ) Factor out the

GCF from each
4m( y  5)  3 p ( y  5) group.

(4m  3 p )( y  5) Write the two factors.

Factor completely
2 2
8s  200t Is there a GCF?

Yes. Write the GCF first and the remaining factor after it.
2 2
8( s  25t ) Look at the remaining factor. (s2-25t2)
Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a binomial. Is it a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)
Yes. s2 is a square (s • s) and 25t2 is a square (5t • 5t).
Factor as (s+5t)(s-5t). Then write the complete
factorization.
8( s  5t )( s  5t )
Factor completely
2
6y  5y  6 Is there a GCF?
No. Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a trinomial.
Do you recognize it as a perfect square trinomial?
No. Use ac and b.
 ac b
6 • -6 -5 Look for factors of –36 that add up
to –5. Use your calculator or your
-36 math skills to find 4 and -9 as the
4, -9 factors to use.

Rewrite the equation with those two factors in the middle.

2
6y  5y  6
2
6y  9y  4y  6 Group.
2
( 6 y  9 y )  ( 4 y  6) Factor out the GCF
from each group.
3 y (2 y  3)  2(2 y  3) Write the two factors.
(2 y  3)(3 y  2)
Factor completely
3 2
6 x  15 x  9 x Is there a GCF?
Yes. Write the GCF first and the remaining factor after it.
2
3 x(2 x  5 x  3) Look at the remaining factor.
(2 x 2  5 x  3)
Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a trinomial.
Do you recognize it as a perfect square trinomial?
No. Use ac and b.
 ac b
2 • -3 5 Look for factors of -6 that add up to
5. Use your calculator or your
-6 math skills to find 6 and -1 as the
6, -1 factors to use.

Rewrite the equation with those two factors in the middle.

2
3 x(2 x  5 x  3)
2
3 x[2 x  6 x  1x  3]
Group. Remember to change the –3 to a
+3 because of the minus sign in the
grouping!!
2 Factor out the GCF
3 x[(2 x  6 x)  (1x  3)] from each group.
3 x[2 x( x  3)  1( x  3)] Write all three factors.
3 x( x  3)(2 x  1)
Factor completely
8
2 x  32 Is there a GCF?
Yes. Write the GCF first and the remaining factor after it.
8
2( x  16) Look at the remaining factor.
( x 8  16)
Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a binomial. Is it a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)
Yes. x8 is a square (x4 • x4) and 16 is a square
(4 • 4). Factor as (x4 + 4)(x4 - 4).
So far we have 2(x4 + 4)(x4 - 4).
(Please continue—not done yet!!)
 2(x4 +4)(x4 -4)
Look at what you have. Can either of the binomials be broken
down?

(x4 +4)
Is this binomial a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)
No. It can’t be broken down. So, we have to keep this factor.
What about the other binomial?
(x4 -4)
Is this binomial a difference of two squares? (a2-b2)

Yes. x4 is a square (x2 • x2) and 4 is a square

(2 • 2). Factor as (x2 + 2)(x2 - 2).
 Put it all together.
8
2 x  32
8
2( x  16)
2(x4 +4)(x4 -4) Not a difference of
squares. Can’t go
any farther!!
2(x4 +4)(x2 +2)(x2 -2)
 Word Problem #1

What is the quotient when

12 x 3  8 x 2  16 x is divided by 4x?

This question is 3 2 3 2
asking you to find 12 x  8 x  16 x 12 x 8 x 16 x
  
the OTHER 4x 4x 4x 4x
FACTOR after you
take out the greatest 2
common factor of 4x. 3x  2x  4

2
Simplify each term.
3x  2 x  4
Word Problem #2

A rectangular garden plot has an area

represented by the expression
18 x 2  3 x  28
Find the dimensions of the garden plot.

This is a factoring problem. You need to

find the two factors that multiply together
to give you 18 x 2  3 x  28
 2
18 x  3 x  28 Is there a GCF?
No. Is it a binomial, trinomial, or four-term polynomial?
It’s a trinomial.
Do you recognize it as a perfect square trinomial?
No. Use ac and b.
 ac b
18 • -28 -3 Look for factors of –504 that add
up to –3. Use your calculator or
-504 your math skills to find 21 and -24
21, -24 as the factors to use.

Rewrite the equation with those two factors in the middle.

2
18 x  3 x  28
2
18 x  24 x  21x  28 Group.
2
(18 x  24 x)  (21x  28) Factor out the GCF
from each group.
6 x(3 x  4)  7(3 x  4) Write the two factors.
(3 x  4)(6 x  7) Length is 3x - 4 and width is 6x + 7
 Calculator Tips
To find factors of the ac term, use the following steps in your
calculator:
•Press the Y= button.
•In Y1=, type the ac value / X.
•In Y2=, type X + VARS, arrow to Y_VARS, Enter, Enter
•Go to Table and look for the b in column Y2. When you find it, use the
values in the X column and the Y1 column as your two factors to put in
the equation. IF YOU CAN’T find the b value in the Y2 column, the
trinomial can’t be factored.

•NOTE: Remember that you might need to scroll up the screen

to find negative numbers that give you the correct value in the Y2
column.