Factoring Polynomials with Common Monomial Factor

Steps:

1. Find the greatest common monomial factor (GCMF) of all the terms in the
polynomial.
2. Divide each term of the polynomial by the GCMF to get the other factor.

Examples:

Factor each polynomial.

1. 8a + 10a2

= 2a(4 + 5a)

Explanation:
GCMF: 2a
(The GCF of 8 & 10 is 2, and the common variable with the least exponent is a, so
the GCMF is 2a.)
Another factor: 8a÷2a = 4; 10a2 ÷2a = 5a the other factor is 4 + 5a.

2. 20x4 – 5x5y

= 5x4(4 – xy)

3. 32a6 + 8ab – 80b2

= 8(4a6 + ab – 10b2)

4. 18p + 54mp + 72pq3 – 27mp3q3

= 9p(2 + 6m + 8q3 – 3mp2q3)

Factoring Sum & Difference of Two Squares Polynomials

Patterns: ***Check if it has common monomial factor before following the right pattern.
Sum of Two Squares: a2 + b2 = 1(a2 + b2) PRIME
Difference of Two Squares: a2 – b2 = (a + b)(a – b)
Why? Because factors of: a2 = a * a
-b2 = b * (-b)
Examples:

Factor each polynomial.

1. x2 + 25 = 1(x2 + 25)
2. x2 – 25 = (x + 5)(x – 5)
3. 49p2 – 81 = (7p + 9)(7p – 9)
4. 25x6 – 16y4 = (5x3 + 4y2) (5x3 – 4y2)
5. 8y2 – 50 Factor first using common monomial factoring because it has GCMF.
= 2(4y2 – 25)
= 2(2y + 5) (2y – 5)
List of Square Roots & Cube Roots of Some Perfect Squares & Perfect Cubes

Perfect Squares Square Roots Perfect Cubes Cube Roots

1 1 1 1
4 2 8 2
9 3 27 3
16 4 64 4
25 5 125 5
36 6 216 6
49 7 343 7
64 8 512 8
81 9 729 9
100 10 1000 10
121 11 1,331 11
144 12 1,728 12
169 13 2,197 13
196 14 2,744 14
225 15 3,375 15
256 16 4,096 16
289 17 4,913 17
324 18 5,832 18
361 19 6,859 19
400 20 8,000 20
441 21 9,261 21
484 22 10,648 22
529 23 12,167 23
576 24 13,824 24
625 25 15,625 25
 Factoring the Sum & Difference of Two Cubes
Patterns:
Sum of Two Cubes (x3 + y3) = (x + y)(x2 – xy + y2)
Difference of Two Cubes (x3 – y3) = (x – y)(x2 + xy + y2)

Here are the steps required for factoring the sum and difference of two cubes:
Step 1: Decide if the two terms have anything in common, called the greatest common
factor or GCF. If so, factor out the GCF. Do not forget to include the GCF as part of your final
answer.
Step 2: Get the cube root of the 1st term, then the 2nd term to get the binomial factor.
Step 3: To get the 1st term of the trinomial factor, square the 1st term of the binomial
factor.
Step 4: Next, multiply the terms of the binomial factor to create the middle term of the
trinomial factor. Signs are opposite.
Step 5: Finally, get the square of the 2nd term of the binomial to create the last term of the
trinomial.

Basic Notes on Cube Roots

∛0=0 ∛ 0 =- 0 ∛x3 = x ∛-x3 = -x
∛1 = 1 ∛-1 = -1
∛x6 = x2 ∛-x6 = -x2
∛8 = 2 ∛-8 = -2
∛x9 = x3 ∛-x9 = -x3
∛27 = 3 ∛-27 = -3
∛64 = 4 ∛-64 = -4 ∛x12 = x4 ∛-x12 = -x4
∛125 = 5 ∛-125 = -5 ∛x15 = x5 ∛-x15 = -x5
∛216 = 6 ∛-216 = -6
∛343 = 7 ∛-343 = -7
∛512 = 8 ∛-512 = -8
∛729 = 9 ∛-729 = -9
∛1000 = 10 ∛-1000 = -10
Positive cubes have The exponent of a
positive cube roots, and variable must be
negative cubes have divisible by 3.
negative cube roots.

Examples:
Find the factors of each polynomial.
1. x3 + 8 = (x + 2)(x2 – 2x + 4)
2. 27x3 + 125 = (3x + 5)(9x2 – 15x + 25)
3. 64a3 – 216 = (4a – 6)(16a2 + 24a + 36)
4. x6 – 512y3 = (x2 – 8)(x4 + 8x2 + 64)
5. 3a3 + 24b3 = 3(a3 + 8b3) GCMF exist!!!
= 3(a + 2b)(a2 – 2ab + 4b2)
 Factoring a Perfect Square Trinomial
A perfect square trinomial is a trinomial that can be written as the square of a
binomial. Recall that when a binomial is squared, the result is the square of the first
term added to twice the product of the two terms and the square of the last term.

Squaring a Binomial
(a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
(a - b)2 = a2 - 2ab + b2

Factoring Perfect Square Trinomial Patterns

Note: Check first if GCMF exists before following the right pattern.

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b) (a + b) or (a + b)2
a2 - 2ab + b2 = (a - b)(a - b) or (a - b)2

Examples

1. Factor the perfect square trinomial x2 + 10x + 25.

Solution:
We can see that the given polynomial x2 + 10x + 25 is of the form a2 + 2ab + b2.
Factors of (a2 + 2ab + b2) are (a+b) (a+b).
Here, a = x and b = 5 and 2ab = 10x.
Therefore, the factors are (x + 5) (x + 5) or (x + 5) 2.

x2 + 10x + 25
= (x + 5) (x + 5) or (x + 5)2

2. Find the factors of the perfect square trinomial 9x2 - 6x + 1.

Solution:
We can see that the given polynomial is of the form a2 - 2ab + b2. Factors of (a2 - 2ab
+ b2) are (a-b) (a-b).
Here, a = 3x, 2ab = 6x and b = 1
Therefore, the factors of the perfect square trinomial are (3x -1) (3x -1) or (3x -1)2.

9x2 - 6x + 1
= (3x -1) (3x -1) or (3x -1)2

3. r2 + 6r + 9
= (r + 3)(r + 3) or (r + 3)2
4. 9b2 – 12b + 4
= (3b – 2)( 3b – 2) or (3b – 2)2
5. 3k 2 - 24k + 48
= 3(k 2 - 8k + 16) GCMF exists!!!
= 3(k – 4)(k – 4)
Or 3(k – 4)2
 Factoring a Non-perfect Square Trinomial ax2 + bx + c with a = 1
Steps to factorize this kind of trinomial:
1. Pull out the GCMF first if available.
2. Factor the first term.
3. Factor the last term, in such a way that the sum of the factors is the coefficient of
the second term.

Examples

Factor:

1. x2 – 2x – 3
x2 = x * x (factors of first term)
-3 = -3 * 1 (If we add -3 and 1, the sum is -2. Pumili ng factors ng last term na dapat
kapag pinag add/combine, ang kalalabasan ay ang coefficient ng middle term.)
Hence,
x2 – 2x – 3
= (x + 1)(x – 3)
2. p2 + 14p + 48
= (p + 8)(p + 6)
3. p2 – 8p + 7
= (p – 7)(p – 1)
4. x2 – 2x – 15
= (x – 5 )(x + 3)
5. 2x2 + 14x + 24
= 2(x2 + 7x + 12)
= 2(x + 4)(x + 3)
 Factoring a Non-perfect Square Trinomial ax2 + bx + c with a > 1

1. Pull out GCMF if it has.

2. Determine a, b, c in a trinomial.

3. Find factors of the first and last terms.

4. Make two binomial factors using the factors of first and last terms, in such a way that
the sum of the products of the inner and last terms of the two binomial factors is the
middle term of the trinomial.

Examples:
Factor the following.
1. 3p2 − 2p – 5
a = 3, b = -2, c = -5 3p2 − 2p – 5
Factors of
= (3p – 5)(p + 1)
3p2: 3p, p
-5: -1, -5, 1, 5 Choose the right factors! -5p
+
3p2 − 2p – 5 3p
= (3p – 5)(p + 1) -2p
The sum of the products of
the first and last terms is the
2. 5n2 + 19n + 12 middle term.

= (5n + 4)(n +3) 3p2 = (3p)(p)

-5 = (-5)(1)

3. 2x2 + 11x + 5
= (2x + 1)(x + 5)

4. 4x2 – 15x – 25
= (x – 5) (4x + 5)

5. 6x2 + 7x – 49
= (3x – 7)(2x + 7)

6. 9x2 + 66x + 21
= 3(3 x2 + 22x + 7) GCMF exists!!!
= 3(3x + 1)(x + 7)
MDL ACTIVITY 8/20/2024
(NOTEBOOK ONLY)

Factor the following polynomials.

1. x2 + 6x + 9
2. 25x2 – 40x + 16
3. x2 – 4x – 60
4. 2x2 + 2x – 12
5. 3x2 – 8x + 4