LESSON 4

POLYNOMIALS AND
POLYNOMIAL
FUNCTIONS
Part 1
By the end of this video, you should be able to:

solve the greatest common factor and factoring by grouping

use the factoring techniques
 Section 1: Greatest
Common Factor and
Factoring by Grouping
1.1 POLYNOMIALS AND POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS
Polynomials

❑ Algebraic terms are expressions that contain constants and / or variables.

(eg: 17, –24x4y5)

❑ A polynomial is the sum of one or more algebraic terms whose variables have whole-number
exponents.

❑ Polynomial in One Variable

A polynomial in one variable (say, x) is the sum of one or more terms of the form axn, where a is a
real number and n is a whole number.

3x, 5, 23x 2 ,  90 y 4  3 y 2  4 y  5
1.1 POLYNOMIALS AND POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS

❑ Polynomial in More than One Variable

A polynomial in several variables (say x, y, and z) is the sum of one or more terms of the form axm
yn zp ; where a is a real number and m, n, and p are whole numbers.

3x 2 y 5 z , 2 xy  5 , x 5 yz 3  3xy 2  1

❑ A polynomial with one term is called a monomial, a polynomial with two terms is called a binomial,
and a polynomial with three terms is called a trinomial.
1.2 THE GREATEST COMMON FACTOR AND
FACTORING BY GROUPING

A polynomial is written in factored form if it is written as the product of two or more polynomials.

The following polynomials can be expressed in factor form.

4 x 2 y  6 xy 2  2 xy(2 x  3 y )
2 x 3  8 x  2 x( x  2)( x  2)
x 2  x  6  ( x  3)( x  2)
 1.2 THE GREATEST COMMON FACTOR AND
FACTORING BY GROUPING
Factoring Out the Greatest Common Factor (GCF)

❑ Steps for Finding the GCF

1. Find the prime-factored form of each monomial.

2. Identify the prime factors and variable factors that are common to each monomial.

3. Find the product of the factors found in Step 2 with each factor raised to the smallest power
that occurs in any one monomial.

❑ A polynomial that cannot be factored using only rational numbers is called a prime polynomial or
an irreducible polynomial over the rational numbers.
 Example 1
Factor: 25a 3b  15ab 3

Solution:

We begin by finding the prime factorization of each monomial:

25a 3b  5.5.a.a.a.b
15ab 3  5.3.a.b.b.b

Since each term has at least one factor of 5, one factor of a, and one factor of b in common and there are no
other common factors, 5ab is the GCF of the two terms. We can use the distributive property to factor it out.

25a 3b  15ab3  5ab.5a 2  5ab.3b 2

5ab(5a 2  3b 2 )
Section 2: Factoring
Techniques
2.1 The Difference of Two Squares; The Sum and
Differences of Two Cubes
All exponential expressions that have even-numbered exponents are perfect squares.

The Difference of Two Squares

Factoring the Difference of Two Squares

x2 – y2 = (x + y) (x – y)
 Example 2

Factor: 49 x 2  16

Solution:

We can write 49 x 2  16 in the form (7 x) 2  (4) 2 and use the formula of factoring the difference of two
squares:

x 2  y 2  ( x  y)( x  y)

(7 x) 2  (4) 2  (7 x  4)(7 x  4)
2.1 The Difference of Two Squares; The Sum and
Differences of Two Cubes

The Sum and Difference of Two Cubes

Sum and Difference of Two Cubes:

x3 + y3 = (x + y) (x2 – xy + y2)

x3 – y3 = (x – y) (x2 + xy + y2)
 Example 3

Factor: a 3  8

Solution:

Since a 3  8 can be written as a 3  23 , we have the sum of two cubes, which factors as follows:

a 3  23  (a  2)(a 2  (a)(2)  2 2 )
 (a  2)(a 2  2a  4)
2.1 The Difference of Two Squares; The Sum and
Differences of Two Cubes

Factoring Trinomials

Perfect Squares Trinomial

Perfect square: x 2  2 xy  y 2  ( x  y) 2

Perfect square: x 2  2 xy  y 2  ( x  y) 2
 Example 4

Factor: x 2  6 x  9

Solution:

x 2  6 x  9  x 2  2(3) x  32
( x  3)( x  3)
( x  3) 2
 2.1 The Difference of Two Squares; The Sum and
Differences of Two Cubes
Factor a Trinomial with a Leading Coefficient of 1

Since the product of two binomials is often a trinomial, we expect that many trinomials will factor
as two binomials.

Factoring Trinomials with Leading Coefficients of 1

1. Write the trinomial in descending powers of one variable.

2. List the factorizations of the third term of the trinomial.

3. Pick the factorization where the sum of the factors is the coefficient of the middle term.
 Example 5

Factor: x 2  6 x  8

Solution:

x 2  6 x  8  ( x  a )( x  b)
( x  4)( x  2)
 Try this.
Factor: 27 a 3  b 3

Ans: (3a  b)(9a 2  3ab  b 2 )