BASIC CALCULUS

L e s s o n 1 : F a c t o r i n g P o l yn o m i a l s ( Co nt inuat io n)

PERFECT SQUARE TRINOMIALS – If the given algebraic expression has three

terms, therefore it is categorize as “trinomial” (from the prefix “tri” means three).

A trinomial is a perfect square trinomial if twice of the product of the positive

square root of the coefficient of first and last term is equal to the coefficient of the
middle term.

I l l u s t r a t i o n V e r i f y i f x2  2 x  1 i s a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l .

Solution: First, we need to identify the coefficient of the first, middle, and last term
of the given trinomial, i.e. First term = 1, Middle term = 2, and Last term = 1 .

Now, using the definition of perfect square trinomial (i.e. twice of the product
of the positive square root of the coefficient of first and last term is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term ), we will check if the given trinomial satisfy this
condition.

We need to find the square root of the coefficient of our first and last term. The
coefficient of our first term is 1, and the square root of 1 is equal to 1. The coefficient
of our last term is 1, and the square root of 1 is 1.

Now that we have computed the positive square root of the coefficient of bo th
f i r s t a n d l a s t t e r m , w e w i l l g e t t h e i r p r o d u c t a n d t w i c e i t ( i . e . 2 11  2 ) a n d c h e c k i f i t

is the same as the coefficient of our middle term. As we see in our given, the coefficient
of our middle term is 2 which is equal to the sum of the square root of the coefficient
of our first and last term.

Since the given trinomial satisfied the condition hence, it is a perfect square
trinomial.

I l l u s t r a t i o n C h e c k i f 4 x2  6 x  1 i s a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l .

Solution: Coefficients: First term = 4; Middle term = 4; Last term = 1

Determine the positive square root of the first and last term, i.e.

First term - 42 Last term - 1 1

 Get the product of their square roots, and multiply it by 2, i.e.

2  2 1  4

S i n c e t h e r e s u l t i s e q u a l t o t h e c o e f f i c i e n t o f t h e m i d d l e t e r m h e n c e , 4 x2  6 x  1 i s
a perfect square trinomial.

I l l u s t r a t i o n C h e c k i f 4 x 2  3x  4 i s a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l .

Solution: Coefficients: First term = 4; Middle term = 3; Last ter m = 4

Determine the positive square root of the first and last term, i.e.

First term - 42 Last term - 42

Get the product of their square roots, and multiply it by 2, i.e.

2  2  2  8

S i n c e t h e r e s u l t i s n o t e q u a l t o t h e c o e f f i c i e n t o f t h e m i d d l e t e r m h e n c e , 4 x 2  3x  4
is not a perfect square trinomial.

I l l u s t r a t i o n C h e c k i f 3x 2  2 7 x  2 i s a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l .

Solution: Coefficients: First term = 3; Middle term = 2 7 ; Last term = 2

Determine the positive square root of the first and last term, i.e.

First term - 3 3 Last term - 2 2

Get the product of their square roots, and multiply it by 2, i.e.

2  
3 2  2 6

Since the result is not equal to the coefficient of the middle term hence,
3x 2  2 7 x  2 i s n o t a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l .

PRACTICE EXERCISE. Refer to our Google Classroom for the exercise to this topic.
 Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials. If we already verified that a trinomial is
perfect square trinomial, we can factor it through the following manner.

S u p p o s e ax2  bx  c i s a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l , t h e n t h e f o l l o w i n g i s t r u e ,


 
2
 ax  c if b is positive
ax 2  bx  c  
 c
2
 ax  if b is negative


Illustration. Factor the following perfect square trinomial.

a . 4 x2  4 x  1 d . 3x 2  2 15 x  5

b . x2  6 x  9 e. 2 x2  4 x  2
c . 9 x2 12 x  4 f. 5x2  4 5x  4

Solution:

a. All we have to do is to determine the positive square root of the first and last
term, i.e.

First term - 4 x2  2 x Last term - 1 1

Identify the sign of our middle term. Since our middle term is positive 4 x hence,

4 x 2  4 x  1   2 x  1
2

b. First term - x2  x Last term - 9 3

Identify the sign of our middle term. Since our middle term is positive 6 x hence,

x 2  6 x  9   x  3
2

c. First term - 9 x 2  3x Last term - 42

Identify the sign of our middle term. Since our middle term is negative 12 x hence,

9 x 2  12 x  4   3x  2 
2

d. First term - 3x 2  3x L a s t t e r m - 5 5

I d e n t i f y t h e s i g n o f o u r m i d d l e t e r m . S i n c e o u r m i d d l e t e r m i s p o s i t i v e 2 15x
hence,

 
2
3x 2  2 15 x  5  3x  5
 e. First term - 2 x2  2 x L a s t t e r m - 2 2
I d e n t i f y t h e s i g n o f o u r m i d d l e t e r m . S i n c e o u r m i d d l e t e r m i s n e g a t i v e 4x h e n c e ,

 
2
2 x2  4 x  2  2x  2

f. First term - 5x2  5x L a s t t e r m - 42

I d e n t i f y t h e s i g n o f o u r m i d d l e t e r m . S i n c e o u r m i d d l e t e r m i s n e g a t i v e 4 5x
hence,

 
2
5x2  4 5x  4  5x  2

PRACTICE EXERCISES. Refer to our Google Classroom for the exercise to this topic.

G E N E R A L T R I N O M I A L S . I f ax2  bx  c i s n o t a p e r f e c t s q u a r e t r i n o m i a l , t h e n w e c a n
characterize it as a general trinomial. When factoring general trinomials we use the so
called “ac method”, ac because we tend to multiply the coefficient of the first and last
term of the given trinomial as our first step in factoring.

The following is the complete procedure on how to factor general trinomials.

Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term of the
given trinomial.

Step 2 – List all the factors of the product that we obtain in Step 1 .

Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.

Step 4 – Suppose that u and v are the factors that has a sum equal to the
coefficient of the middle term, then the following is true

 u  v
ax 2  bx  c   x   x  
 a  a

u v
Remarks. If and cannot be simplified as an integer, the denominator will
a a
 u  v
b e t h e c o e f f i c i e n t o f x , i . e .  x     ax  u  o r  x     ax  v 
 a  a
Illustration. Factor the following trinomials using ac method.

a . x2  8x  7 d . 3x2  2x  5

b . x2 11x  10 e. 2x2  3x  9
c . x2  x  90 f. 5x2  19x  12

Solution:

a. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 1 Last term = 7 Product = 1×7 = 7
Step 2 – List all the factors of 7, i.e.
Factors
1×7
-1×-7
Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×7 8
-1×-7 -8
Since the first factor have a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose 1 and 7.
Step 4 – Divide 1 and 7 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 1)
 1  7
x 2  8 x  7   x   x  
 1  1
  x  1 x  7 
b. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 1 Last term = 10 Product = 1×10 = 10
Step 2 – List all the factors of 10, i.e.
Factors
1×10
-1×-10
2×5
-2×-5
Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×10 11
-1×-10 -11
2×5 7
-2×-5 -7
 Since the second factor have a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose -1 and -10.
Step 4 – Divide -1 and -10 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 1)
 1  10 
x 2  11x  10   x   x  
 1  1 
  x  1 x  10 
c. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 1 Last term = -90 Product = 1×-90 = -90
Step 2 – List all the factors of -90, i.e.
Factors
1×-90
-1×90
2×-45
-2×45
9×-10
-9×10
5×-18
-5×18
Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×-90 -89
-1×90 89
2×-45 -43
-2×45 43
9×-10 -1
-9×10 1
5×-18 -13
-5×18 13
Since the sixth factor h ave a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose -9 and 10.
Step 4 – Divide -9 and 10 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 1)
 9  10 
x 2  x  90   x   x  
 1  1
  x  9  x  10 
d. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 3 Last term = -5 Product = 3×-5 = -15
Step 2 – List all the factors of -15, i.e.
Factors
1×-15
-1×15
3×-5
-3×5
Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×-15 -14
-1×15 14
3×-5 -2
-3×5 2
Since the third factor have a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose 3 and -5.
Step 4 – Divide 3 and -5 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 3)
 3  5 
3x 2  2 x  5   x   x  
 3  3 
 5 
  x  1  x  
 3 
5
Since cannot be simplified as an integer, the denominator 3 will be the
3
coefficient of x, i.e.

 3  5 
3x 2  2 x  5   x   x  
 3  3 
 5 
  x  1  x  
 3 
  x  1 3x  5 
e. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 2 Last term = -9 Product = 2×-9 = -18
Step 2 – List all the factors of -18, i.e.
Factors
1×-18
-1×18
3×-6
-3×6
2×9
-2×9
 Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×-18 -17
-1×18 17
3×-6 -3
-3×6 3
2×-9 -7
-2×9 7
Since the third factor have a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose -3 and 6.
Step 4 – Divide -3 and 6 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 2)
 3  6
2 x 2  3x  9   x   x  
 2  2
 3 
  x    x  3
 2 
3
Since cannot be simplified as an integer, the de nominator 2 will be the
2
coefficient of x, i.e.
 3  6
2 x 2  3x  9   x   x  
 2  2
 3 
  x    x  3
 2 
  2 x  3 x  3
f. Step 1 – Determine the product of the coefficient of the first and last term, i.e.
First term = 5 Last term = 12 Product = 5×12 = 60
Step 2 – List all the factors of 60, i.e.
Factors
1×60
-1×-60
5×12
-5×-12
4×15
-4×-15
3×20
-3×-20
2×30
-2×-30
6×10
-6×-10
 Step 3 – Sum each pairs of factor and determine which sum is equal to the
coefficient of the middle term.
Factors Sum
1×60 61
-1×-60 -61
5×12 17
-5×-12 -17
4×15 19
-4×-15 -19
3×20 23
-3×-20 -23
2×30 32
-2×-30 -32
6×10 16
-6×-10 -16
Since the fifth factor have a sum equal to the middle term hence, we will
choose 4 and 15.
Step 4 – Divide 4 and 15 by the leading coefficient (i.e. 5)
 5  12 
5 x 2  19 x  12   x   x  
 5  5
 12 
  x  1  x  
 5
12
Since cannot be simplified as an integer, the de nominator 5 will be the
5
coefficient of x, i.e.
 5  12 
5 x 2  19 x  12   x   x  
 5  5
 12 
  x  1  x  
 5
  x  1 5 x  12 

PRACTICE EXERCISES. Refer to our Google Classroom for the exercise to this topic.