Factoring Polynomial Expressions

Factoring Polynomial Expressions: sections 5.3 – 5.7 Review and Notes

The directions “Factor each expression” means to write the expression as a multiplication problem.

1) Common Factors: (This method should be tried first!)

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

2) Difference of Squares:

a) d)

b) e)

c) f)

3) Perfect Square Trinomials:

a) d)

or

b) e)

c) f)

4) ‘Basic’ Trinomial expressions:

a) d)

b) e)

c) f)

5) Trinomial expressions:

a) d)

b) e)

c)

6) Sum/Difference of Cubes:

a) d)

b) e)

c) f)

Factoring Polynomial Expressions (continued)

7) Miscellaneous:

a)

b) is prime. (Does not factor.)

c)

d)

e) is prime. (Does not factor.)

f)

g)

h) is similar to which factors as

therefore

i)

difference of squares sum of cubes and difference of cubes (fun J )

j)

k)

l) is similar to which factors as

therefore

m)

8) Here is a different way that factoring techniques might be used. These expressions do not have common factors. Fill in the right hand side of each statement so that they will be equivalent.

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)