FACTORING The following are some techniques in factoring: I.

Common Factor Factor each polynomial by taking out the largest common factor. Examples: 1. 15 xy 3xz 2. 2x 4 y 2 z 3 8x 2 yz 2 6 x 3 y 5 z 4 3. 14 x a b 2 12 x 2 a b 3 II. Difference of Two Squares Formula: x 2 y 2 x y x y Examples: 1. 25 x 2 16 2. 4u 4v 2 w 2 3. x 4 16 y 4 III. Sum and Difference of Two Cubes Formula: x 3 y 3 x y x 2 xy y 2 Examples: 1. 125 y 6 2.
8 x 3 27 y 3

3. z 9 1 IV. Perfect Square Trinomials Formula: x 2 2 xy y 2 x y 2 Examples: 1. 4x 2 12 x 9 2. m4 2m2n n 2 3. x 2 y 2 4xy 4 V. Other Quadratic Trinomials Formulas: x 2 a b x ab x ax b or acx 2 ad bcxy bdy 2 ax by cx dy . Examples:

1. 2. 3. 4.

x 2 x 12
2x 2 5 x 3

x 2 3x 4 5x 2 13 x 6

VI. Grouping This technique is often used when the polynomial contains 4 or more terms. Examples: 1. am bm an bn 2. 6x 2 4ax 9bx 6ab 3. m2 2mn n 2 4

Exercises: Factor the following polynomials completely. 1. 42a 2 b 48b 3 2. x 2 13 x 30 3. x 2 y 2 12 xy 36 4. 22 y 3 242 y 2 220 y 5. 9 x 2 30 xy 25 y 2 6. 3z 2 11z 14 7. 6x 2 18 x 12 8. 7u 2 24uv 9v 2 9. 12 p 2 8 p 15 10. w 3 125 11. 49a 2 16b 4 12. x 4 81y 4 13. 4h 20 h 3 5h 2 14. x 4 12 x 3 48 x 2 64 x 15. a 3 2b 2 2a 2b ab