Exercises:
(1) Find the gcf of the expressions 12x3 and 18x4.
Exercises:
(2) Factor out the gcf:
(a)
(b)
(3) Factor by grouping:
(a) rx + 2rs + 2x + 4s.
(b) 3xy + 6y -2x - 4.
(4) Factor:
(a) x2 - 9,
(b) 7x2 - 700,
(c) 2x4 - 2.
(5) Factor the polynomial:
(a)
(b) .
(c)
(d)
(e) .
(6) Factor the polynomial:
(a) 6x2 – x – 15
(b) 5x2 – 7x – 6
(c) 8x2 + 22x – 21
(7) Factor the polynomial:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(8) Factor the polynomial:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(9) Solve the polynomial equation:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Solutions:
(1) the gcf of the coefficients 12 and 13 is 6. The lowest power of x is x3. So the
GCF = 6x3.
(2)
(a) = (the gcf = 5x).
5x(x2 + 2x - 3)
5x3 10x2 -15x
5x2 5x2 5x2
(b) (gcf = 4xy)
4xy(xy - 2y + 3).
4x2y2 -8xy2 12xy
4xy 4xy 4xy
(3) (a) rx + 2rs + 2x + 4s. (pair the factors and find the gcf)
gcf = r gcf = 2 (factor out the gcf from the pairs)
(combine like terms on top of (x + 2s) by
adding the coefficients r and 2)
(b) 3xy + 6y -2x - 4 (pair off the terms and find the gcf:)
gcf = 3y gcf = -2 (Note that I needed to make the signs match by using
gcf = -2 in the second pair. Now pull out the gcf's:)
(Now combine like terms on (x + 2) )
.
(4) (a) x2 - 9, (DOS )
(x)2 - 32 (split it up with the formula)
= (x + 3)(x - 3).
(b) 7x2 - 700 = (gcf = 7, factor it out:)
7(x2 - 100) = (DOS in pharentheses).
(x)2 - 102
7(x - 10)(x + 10).
(c) 2x4 - 2 = (gcf = 2, factor it out:)
2(x4 - 1) = (rewrite x4 - DOS in pharentheses:)
(x2)2 - 12, (split it up using formula:)
= (x2 - 1 is a DOS - split it up again)
(the complete factorization).
(5) (need two numbers that multiply to 7 add to 8 - there ain't
many choices since 7 is prime - only 1 and 7 are factors)
1 7 (1 + 7 = 8, so:)
= (x + 1)(x + 7).
(b) (need two numbers which * to -15, add to -2
list the factors of -15. The larger ones will have to be
1 -15 negative.)
3 -5 (3 + -5 = -2, so: )
= (x + 3)(x - 5).
(c) (need two numbers which * to -20, add to +1 - the larger factor
has to be positive this time, )
-1 20
-2 10
-4 5 (-4 + 5 = 1)
= (x - 4)(x + 5).
(d) (need two numbers which * to 12, add to -8 - both factors will have
to be negative to add to a negative, * to a positive)
-1 -12
-2 -6 (-2 + -6 = -8)
-3 -4
= (x - 2)(x - 6).
(e) = (first, factor out the gcf = 7)
7(x2 + 2xy - 3y) = (find the two numbers which * to -3, + to 2)
-1 3 (add a y to the -1 and 3:)
7(x - y)(x + 3y).
(6) (a) 6x2 – x – 15 (multiply the lead and constant terms)
(6)(-15) = -90
1 -90
2 -45
3 -30
5 -18
6 -15
9 -10 (9 + -10 = -1 - use these to split up -x:)
= 6x2 + 9x - 10x - 15 (pair the terms and get the gcf's)
gcf = 3x gcf = -5 (picked - 5 to make signs match)
= 3x(2x + 3) - 5(2x + 3) (factor out gcf's, combine terms: )
= (3x - 5)(2x + 3). (voila. finito. )
(b) 5x2 – 7x – 6 (Multiply the lead and constant terms:)
5(-6) = -30,
1 -30
2 -15
3 -10 (3 + -10 = -7 - use them to split up -7x)
5x2 - 10x + 3x - 6 (pair off, gcf's:)
gcf = 5x gcf = 3 (factor gcf's, combine terms: )
5x(x - 2) + 3(x - 2) =
(5x + 3)(x - 2).
(c) 8x2 + 22x – 21 (multiply constant and lead term:)
(8)(-21) = -168
-1 168
-2 84
-3 56
-4 42
-6 28 (-6 + 28 = 22 : use them to break up 22x)
8x2 + 28x - 6x - 21 = (pair off, find gcf's, make signs match)
gcf = 4x gcf = -3 (factor out gcf's)
4x(2x + 7) - 3(2x + 7) = (combine like terms:)
(4x - 3)(2x + 7). (rock-action)
(7)
(a) (This is a DOC)
(x)3 - 103 (use formula with a = x, b = 10).
(x - 10)(x2 + 10x + 100).
a - b a2 ab b2
(b) (This is a SOC)
(3x)3 + (4)3 = (use formula, with a = 3x, b = 4).
(3x + 4)(9x2 - 12x + 16) (answer)
(3x)2 (3x)(4) (4)2
(c) (gcf = 5, take it out: )
5(x3 - 1) (DOC inside pharentheses, w/ a = x, b = 1)
(yeah)
(8)(a) (no gcf, trinomial, lead coeff = 1)
-1 -25 (need two numbers which * to 25, + to -10:
-5 -5 -5 + -5 = -10 )
= (x - 5)(x - 5).
(b) (gcf = 4x, factor it out: .)
= no more factoring can be done)
(c) = (gcf = 4x, factor it out:)
= (DOS in pharentheses (x)2 - 32)
(complete factorization)
(d) (no gcf, trinomial, lead coeff = 3, grouping)
3*4 = 12
1 -12 (use 1 and -12 to break up 11x)
= (pair off, gcf's)
gcf = x, gcf = -4 (signs have to match)
= (combine terms)
=
(e) x3 + 216 = (no gcf, two terms, 6 is the cube of 216, so SOC)
(x)3 + (6)3 ( x plays the role of a, 6 plays the role of b)
a + b a2 -ab + b2
(f) (no gcf, four terms - grouping, pair off, gcf's)
gcf = 4x gcf = 7 (factor out gcf's)
(combine terms.)
(g) (gcf = 6, factor it out:)
(two terms, DOS in pharentheses (x)2 - 22 )
(split it up - complete factorization)
(h) (no gcf, two terms, note the cube x3, and 1000 = 103, 27 = 33)
(10x)3 - 33 (DOC, w/ 10x playing a, 3 playing b)
.
(10x)2 3*10x 32
(i) (no gcf, trinomial, lead coefficient = 1)
1 30
2 15
3 10
5 6 ( 5 + 6 =11)
= (x + 5)(x + 6).
(j) (no gcf, trinomial, lead coefficient ¹1, grouping:)
(2)(-15)=-30
-1 30
-2 15
-3 10 (-3 + 10 = 7 - use them to break up 7x)
= (pair off, gcf's)
gcf = x gcf = 5 (pull out gcf's)
= (combine terms:)
(9) (a) (LHS = 0, so, factor LHS as a DOS)
(x + 5)(x - 5) = 0, (set factors = 0,)
x + 5 = 0, x - 5 = 0,
-5 -5 +5 +5
x = 5, x = -5. (give answer in solution set: )
x = {±5}
(b) (get LHS = 0)
-6 -6
(factor LHS)
(set factors = 0)
+3 +3 -2 -2
x = 3, x = -2,
x = {3, -2}
(c) (get LHS = 0)
-28x -28x
(gcf = 2x)
(inside pharentheses - trinomial, lead coefficient = 1)
-1 14
-2 7 (-2 + 7 = 5)
(factors = 0)
x= 0 -7 -7 +2 +2,
x = 0, x = -7, x = 7.
x = {0,±7}