Name: _________________________________________________ Grade: _____________

Module 1
In this module, you will able to:
• factor completely polynomials; and
• solve problems involving factors of polynomials.

Lesson 1: Factoring Polynomials with Common Monomial Factor

Factoring of polynomial is rewriting a polynomial as a product of polynomials of smaller degree.

Example:
Standard Form Factored Form
x 2 + 2x x(x + 2)
4 x 2 + 6x 2x(2x + 3)
3 x 2 + 6x 3x(x + 2)

Factoring is finding two or more factors of a number or a polynomial.

Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of two or more monomials is the common factorhaving the greatest
numerical factor and with variables having the least degree. Thus, the term a x n is the GCF of a polynomial if:
1. a is the greatest integer that divides each of the coefficients of the polynomials; and
2. n is the smallest exponent of x in all the terms of the polynomial.

Examples:
Polynomial GCF Factored Form
x 2 + 2x x x(x + 2)
4 x 2 + 6x 2x 2x(2x + 3)
3 x 2 + 6x 3x 3x(x + 2)
5x + 10 x 2 5x 5x(1 + 2x)
6 x 4 - 14 x 2 2x2 2 x 2(3 x 2 - 7)

Example 1
GCF

Find the greatest common factor of each pair of monomials.

a. 6a and 18ab
Solution:
Write the factors of 6a-------------(2 ∙ 3)(a)
Write the factors of 18ab ---------(2 ∙ 32)(a)(b)
The GCF of 6a and 18ab is -------(2 ∙ 3)(a) or 6a

b. 10a and 12a 2b

Solution:
Write the factors of 10a--------------(2 ∙ 5)(a)
Write the factors of 12a 2b ----------(22 ∙ 3)(a 2)(b)

1
 The GCF of 10a and 12a 2b is ------(2 )(a) or 2a

c. -8 x 2y and 16xy
Solution:
Write the factors of -8 x 2y -----------(-1)(23)( x 2)(y)
Write the factors of 16xy ------------(24 )(x)(y)
The GCF of -8 x 2y and 16xy is -----(23)(x)(y) or 8xy

Try it 1
Find the greatest common factor of each pair of polynomials
a. 12a and 36ab b. 6a and 20a 2b

Example 2
Common Monomial Factor

Factor completely.
a. 3x + 6 ---------Find the GCF of each term.
3x ---- (3)(x)
6 -----(3)(2)
The GCF is 3. Use GCF to rewrite polynomial.
3x + 6 = 3(x) + 3(2)
=3(x + 2) (Use the distributive property)
So, 3x + 6 = 3(x +2).

b. 12a 2 b 4 - 16a 3 b 2 + 20a 5 b 3

Find the GCF of the term.
12a 2 b 4 = (22)(3)(a 2)(b 4)
16a 3 b 2= (24 )(a 3)(b 2)
20a 5 b 3 = (22)(5)(a 5)(b 3)
The GCF is 22(a 2)(b 2) or 4a 2 b2
So, 12a 2 b 4 - 16a 3 b 2 + 20a 5 b 3 = 4a 2 b2 (3b 2 - 4a + 5a 3b)

Try it 2
Factor completely.
a. 5x + 10 b. 3 x 2 + 3x

2
Lesson 2: Difference of Two Squares
Difference of two squares

If x and y are real numbers, variables, or algebraic expression, then

x 2 - y 2 = (x + y)(x-y).
In words: The difference of the squares of two terms is the product of the sum and difference of those
terms.

Note: For a variable to be a perfect square, it must be raised to an even power.

Example 1
Factoring the Difference of Two Squares

Factor each completely.

a. 4a 2 – 49 = (2a ¿ ¿2 - (7¿2 = (2a + 7)(2a – 7)

x 2 - y 2 = (x + y) (x-y)

b. 9 x 2 - 25 y 4 = (3 x ¿ ¿ 2 - (5 y 2 ¿ ¿2 = (3x + 5 y 2)( 3x - 5 y 2 ¿

x2 - y2 = (x + y) (x-y)

Try it 1
Factor each completely.

a. 9a 2 – 49 b. 64 x 2−25

Example 2
Factoring the Difference of Two Squares

Factor each completely.

a. 20 x 3 - 5x = 5x( 4 x 2−1 ¿ Factor out 5x, the GCF.
= 5x[(2 x ¿ ¿ 2 - 12 ¿ Express the second factor as the difference of two squares.
= 5x(2x + 1)(2x – 1) The factors are the sum and difference of the squared terms.

b. 112 - 175m 4 = 7(16 - 25m 4 ) Factor out 7, the GCF.

= 7[4 2 – (5m 2 ¿ 2] Express the second factor as the difference of two squares.
2 2
= 7(4 + 5m )(4 - 5m ) The factors are the sum and difference of the squared terms.

Note: To factor completely means to factor until factoring is no longer possible.

Try it 2
Factor each completely.

a. 28 x 3 – 7x b. 128 – 200m 4

3
Lesson 3: Sum and Difference of Two Cubes
Sum and Difference of Two Cubes
Let x and y be a real numbers, variables, or algebraic expressions.

Factoring Sum of Two Cubes

x 3+ y 3 = (x + y)( x 2−¿ xy + y 2)

Factoring Difference of Two Cubes

x 3− y 3 = (x −¿ y)( x 2 + xy + y 2)

Note: Refer to the E-Math book , page 19,for more examples and explanations.

Example 1
Factoring the Sum/Difference of Two Cubes

Factor each completely.

a. a 3 + 64 = can be written as: a 3 + 4 3= (a + 4) (a 2 - 4a + 4 2)
= (a + 4) (a 2 - 4a + 16)

x 3+ y 3 = (x + y)( x 2 - xy + y 2)

Check: (a + 4) (a 2 - 4a + 16) = (a + 4)(a 2) - (a + 4)(4a) + (a + 4)(16)

= a 3 + 4a 2 - 4a 2 - 16a + 16a + 64
= a 3 + 64

b. 27c 3 - d 3 = can be written as: (3c¿3 - d 3= (3c – d)[(3c¿2 + (3c)d + d 2

= (3c – d)(9c 2 + 3cd + d 2)

x 3− y 3 = (x −¿ y) ( x 2 + xy + y 2)

Try it 1
Factor each completely.

a. a 3 + 27 b. 64e 3 - d 3

Assignment: Answer your book on page 21, Practice and Application test I B (10-14).