Factoring Practice (Step by Step) - Perfect Square Trinomials (PST)

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b) 2 and a2 – 2ab + b2 = (a – b) 2

If the square root of “a” and “c” can be found and if twice their product is equal to middle term, then the
trinomial can be factor out as Perfect Square Trinomial (PST).
Example – 1: Factor x 2 + 6x + 9 [Middle term is positive, the two multiples are positive. I.e. +3 & +3]
2 2
a = x =x; c = 9 = 3 and Twice their Product = 2 (x)(3) = 6x , therefore PST exist
Therefore x + 6x + 9 = (x + 3)(x + 3) = (x + 3) 2
2

Example – 2: 36x 2 – 84x + 49 [Middle term is negative, the two multiples are negative. I.e. – 7 & – 7 )]

a2 = 36x 2 = 6x & c = 49 = 7 and Twice their Product = 2(6x)(7) = 84x

Therefore 36x 2 – 84x + 49 = (6x – 7)(6x – 7) = (6x – 7) 2

Factor:

1) x 2 + 4x + 4 2) x 2 + 10x + 25

3) 4x 2 + 28x + 49 4) 121x 2 + 44x + 4

5) 49y 2b + 56y b + 16 6) 16x 2u + 56x u + 49

7) 40x 2 + 280x + 490 8) 98m 2 + 84mn + 18n 2

9) x 2 – 10x + 25 10) x 2 – 2x + 1

11) 36x 2 – 60x + 25 12) 25x 2u – 60x u + 36

13) 20x 3 – 140x 2 + 245x 14) 3a 3 – 6a 2 b + 3ab 2

15) 25x -1 – 90x -2 + 81x -3 16) (x – 1) 2 – 2u(x – 1) + u 2

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 Factoring Practice (Step by Step) - Perfect Square Trinomials (PST)

Answers

1) (x + 2) 2 2) (x + 5) 2

3) (2x + 7) 2 4) (11x + 2) 2

5) (7y b + 4) 2 6) (4x u + 7) 2

7) 10(2x + 7) 2 8) 2 (7m + 3n) 2

9) (x – 5) 2 10) (x – 1) 2

11) (6x – 5) 2 12) (5x u – 6) 2

13) 5x (2x – 7) 2 14) 3a (a – b) 2

15) x -3 (5x – 9) 2 16) (x – 1 – u) 2

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