Algebra 2: Section 6.

4
Factoring and Solving Polynomial Equations
 Factoring Quadratics
2
1. 4x 24x Common Factor: 4x

4x(x 6)
 Factoring Quadratics
Two factors of -21 that when
2
2. 2x 11x 21 FOI LED make the middle
term +11
(2x _____)(x _____)

(2x 3)(x 7)
 Factoring Quadratics
2
3. 4x 36 x 81 Perfect Square Trinomial

2 2
(2x) 2 2x 9 (9)
2
(2x 9)
Sum and D ifference of Cubes
3 3 2 2
a b (a b)(a ab b )
3 3 2 2
a b (a b)(a ab b )
3 2
x 64 (x 4)(x 4x 16)
3 2
27x 8 (3x 2)(9x 6x 4)
 Examples
3
4. 125 x
Rewrite as sum of cubes
3 3
x 5 (Changed order, standard)

2 2
(x 5)(x 5x 5 )
2
(x 5)(x 5x 25)
 Factoring by Grouping
(used when there are 4 terms)

• Factor common factor out of first two terms

and factor another common factor out of last
two terms
(may need to rearrange)

• Factor common binomial out of each ‘term’

 Examples
2 2 2 2
5. x y 3x 4y 12
2 2 2
x (y 3) 4(y 3)
D ifference of two squares
2 2
(y 3)(x 4)
2
(y 3)(x 2)(x 2)
 Examples
2 2 3 4
6. a b 8ab 16b
2 2 2
b (a 8ab 16b )
2
b (a 4b)(a 4b)
2 2
b (a 4b)
 Examples
4 D ifference of two squares
7. 25x 36
2 2 2
(5x ) (6)

2 2
(5x 6)(5x 6)
 W hich method of factoring?
Always look for common
factor!!

• 2 terms • D iff. of Squares

• Sum or D iff. of Cubes

• 3 terms • Trial and Error

• Perfect Square Trinomial

• 4 terms • Grouping
 Solving Polynomial Equations by
Factoring
(Examples)
5
8. 2 y 18 y 0
D ifference of two squares
4
2 y( y 9) 0
2 2
2 y( y 3)( y 3) 0
2 2
2y 0 or y 3 0 or y 3 0
y 0 or y 3 or y i 3
For this assignment,
y 0 or y 3 only concerned with
real solutions
 M ore Examples
5 2
9. 4 x 108 x 0
D ifference of two cubes
2 3
4x (x 27) 0
2 2
4 x ( x 3)( x 3x 9) 0
2 2
4x 0 or x 3 0 or x 3x 9 0

3 9 4(1)(9)
x 0 or x 3 or x
2
T his is going to be
x 0 or x 3 imaginar y.
T he discriminant is
negative!
 Assignment

• p.349
# 33-85 all, 87, 88
(55 problems)

• D ue W ednesday!