MCR3U NAME:_____________________________

Review – Expanding and Factoring

Expanding
Complete each of the following examples. Then, using your own words, write rules or
steps relating to each type of problem.

Add and Subtract Terms (remember to Collect Like Terms)
2𝑎 + 4𝑎 + 5𝑏 + 𝑎 5𝑥 − 6𝑥 ! − 7𝑥 + 8𝑥 " + 𝑥 !



Multiply Terms (remember to use Exponent Rules)
4𝑥 ! 𝑦 # ∗ 5𝑥 " 𝑦 (−2𝑝$ )(5𝑝% )

(2𝑥)& (−2𝑥 ! )&

Expand Brackets (remember to Distribute)
𝑎(𝑏 + 𝑐)
(2𝑥 + 5)!

3𝑥(2𝑥 + 5)
3(𝑘 + 8)(𝑘 − 8)

(𝑥 + 7)(𝑥 − 9)

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MCR3U NAME:_____________________________

Be aware of the differences between “Simplify”, “Evaluate”, and “Solve”

Simplify 7𝑎 − 3𝑎 + 𝑎

Evaluate 7𝑎 − 3𝑎 + 𝑎, for 𝑎 = 2.

Solve 7𝑎 − 3𝑎 + 𝑎 = 20.

Factoring Polynomials
Given a polynomial, can you write it as a product of two or more factors? This is called
factoring a polynomial. Factoring is the opposite of expanding.
Example 1 Example 2
Expanding 4(𝑥 + 5) = (𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 + 2) =

Factoring 4𝑥 + 20 = 𝑥 ! + 7𝑥 + 10 =

Complete each of the following examples. Then explain how to do each type of problem
or important points to remember when doing them.
Common Factoring – Always try this FIRST!
2𝑥 + 10𝑦 − 8 10𝑥 " 𝑦 − 5𝑥 ! 𝑦 + 15𝑥 % 𝑦 $

Factoring by Grouping – basically factoring in sections, that’s all!

2𝑥 " − 6𝑥 ! + 5𝑥 − 15 2𝑥 " + 4𝑥 ! − 𝑥 − 2

Difference of Squares Factoring – Two perfect squares separated by a minus sign

𝑝! − 𝑞 ! 𝑥! − 9 16𝑥 ! − 25𝑦 ! 𝑧 %

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MCR3U NAME:_____________________________

Trinomial Factoring (x ! + bx + c form)

𝑥 ! − 6𝑥 + 8 𝑥 ! − 3𝑥 − 10

Trinomial Factoring (ax ! + bx + c form) – various methods **Figure out which

method is fastest for you!**
2𝑥 ! − 11𝑥 + 5 3𝑥 ! − 11𝑥 − 4

**My preferred method is __________________. Explanation for using this method:

Complete Factoring
2𝑥 ! + 6𝑥 + 4 6𝑥 & − 54𝑥 "

Try these!
𝑎! − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 ! − 𝑚! 𝑘 ! − 𝑚! + 2𝑚𝑛 − 𝑛^2

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