GRADE 8 – FACTORING POLYNOMIALS

Learning Competency:
factors completely different types of polynomials (polynomials with common monomial factor, difference of two
squares, sum and difference of two cubes, perfect square trinomials, and general trinomials

Concept
FACTORING COMPLETELY

C. SPECIAL FACTORS
C.2. Factoring Perfect Square Trinomial
• a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b)(a + b) or (a + b)2
• a2 – 2ab + b2 = (a – b)(a – b) or (a – b)2
For example:
(i) Factor x2 – 6x + 9 here the given polynomial is a perfect square trinomial; meaning we’ll just determine the square
roots of the first and the last term; the square roots are x and 3, since the middle term is negative, the factors are
square of the difference of the roots
Answer: x2 – 6x + 9 = (x – 3) (x – 3) or (x – 3)2

(ii) Factor 9y6 + 30xy3 + 25x2 here the given polynomial is a perfect square trinomial; meaning we’ll just determine
the square roots of the first and the last term; the square roots are 3y3and 5x, since the middle term is positive, the
factors are square of the sum of the roots
Answer: 9y6 + 30xy3 + 25x2 = (3y3 + 5x) (3y3 + 5x) or (3y3 + 5x)2

ACTIVITY

I. Factor the following using Factoring Perfect Square Trinomial

1.) m2 + 2mn + n2 = ______________________________

2.) 4a2 + 8ab + 4b2 = ______________________________
3.) 16 + 8x + x2 = ______________________________
4.) 9x2 + 30x + 25 = ______________________________
5.) 81y2 + 18yz + z2 = ______________________________
6.) 25a2 – 120a + 144 = ______________________________
7.) 100s2 – 140st + 49t2 = ______________________________
8.) 25p2 – 20pq + 4q2 = ______________________________
9.) 49x2 – 14x + 1 = ______________________________
10.) 4x2y6 – 12xy3z + 9z2 = ______________________________