SPECIAL PRODUCTS

Products of some polynomials have forms that are easy to recognize. These are
called special products and can be obtained by short cut ways. These products are:
A. Product of two binomials having similar terms,
B. Product of the sum and difference of the same binomial,
C. The square of a binomial,
D. The square of a trinomial,
E. The cube of the sum or difference of a binomial, and
F. The product of a binomial and a trinomial leading to the difference or sum of
cubes.

Product of two binomials having similar terms

Foil Method: Product of the first terms, plus product of the first and end terms, plus
product of the middle terms, and product of the end terms. The sum or difference of
the products of the middle terms and end terms may be calculated mentally.

(ax + b)(cx + d)

( ax +b )( cx+ d )=ac x 2+ adx+ bcx+ bd

2
¿ ac x + ( ad+ bc ) x +bd

Distributive Property of multiplication over addition:

( ax +b )( cx+ d )=ax ( cx +d ) +b ( cx+ d )

2
¿ ac x + adx+ bcx+ bd
2
¿ ac x + ( ad+ bc ) x +bd

Example 1: Find the product of ( 3 u−4 )( u−2 )

( 3 u−4 )( u−2 )=3 u2 + (−6−4 ) u+8
2
¿ 3 u −10 u+8
Or
¿ 3 u ( u−2 ) −4 (u−2)
2
¿ 3 u −6 u−4 u +8
2
¿ 3 u −10 u+8

Example 2: Find the product of ( 5 x−2 ) ( 4 x +3 )

( 5 x−2 ) ( 4 x +3 ) =20 x2 + ( 15−8 ) x−6
2
¿ 20 x +7 x −6
 Or
¿ 5 x ( 4 x+ 3 )−2 ( 4 x +3 )
2
¿ 20 x +15 x−8 x−6
2
¿ 20 x +7 x −6

Example 3: Find the product of ( 45 x + 52 y)( 35 x− 45 y)

( 45 x + 52 y)( 35 x− 45 y)= 1225 x +( −16
2
25 25 )
+
6 8
xy − y
25
2

12 2 10 8 2
¿ x − xy− y
25 25 25

Example 4: Find the product of ( 3 u−7 e ) ( 3 u+7 e )

( 3 u−7 e ) ( 3 u+7 e )=¿
2 2
¿ 9 u −49 e

Or
=( 3 u )2−( 7 e )2
2 2
¿ 9 u −49 e

Product of a Binomial and its conjugate

The conjugate of (a + b) is (a – b), likewise the conjugate of (a – b) is (a + b).

( x + y ) ( x − y )=x 2− y 2

Example 1: Find the product of ( 3 u−7 e ) ( 3 u+7 e )

( 3 u−7 e ) ( 3 u+7 e )=( 3 u )3− (7 e )2
2 2
¿ 9 u −49 e

Example 2: Find the product of ( 2 ax +7 b ) ( 2 ax−7 b )

( 2 ax +7 b ) ( 2 ax−7 b )=( 2 ax )2−( 7 b )2
2 2 2
¿ 4 a x −49 b

Example 4: Find the product of ( ab x+ dc y )( ab x− cd y)

( ab x+ dc y )( ab x− cd y)=( ab x) −( cd y )
2 2

2 2
a 2 c 2
¿ 2
x− 2y
b d

Square of a Binomial
The square of the sum of a binomial is equal to the sum of the squares of the terms
plus twice the product of the terms.
 ( x + y )2=x 2+ 2 xy + y 2

The square of the difference of a binomial is equal to the sum of the squares of the terms
minus twice the product of the terms.

( x− y )2=x 2−2 xy + y 2

Example 1: Find the square of the binomial 4 x 2 +2 y

2 2
( 4 x 2+ y ) =( 4 x 2) +2 ( 4 x 2 ) ( y ) + ( y )2
4 2 2
¿ 16 x +8 x y + y
Or
2
=( 4 x 2+2 y )
¿ ( 4 x 2+2 y ) ( 4 x 2+2 y )
¿ 4 x2 ( 4 x 2+2 y ) +2 y ( 4 x 2 +2 y )
4 2 2 2
¿ 16 x +8 x y + 8 x y+ 4 y
4 2 2
¿ 16 x +16 x y + 4 y

Example 2: Find the square of the binomial 2 v−3 u3

2 2
( 2 v −3 u3 ) =( 2 v )2−2 ( 2 v ) ( 3 u3 ) + ( 3 u3 )
2 3 6
¿ 4 v −12 v u +9 u

1 3
Example 3: Find the square of the binomial m− n
3 4

( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )
2 2 2
1 3 1 1 3 3 1 2 1 9 2
m− n = m −2 m n + n = m − mn+ n
3 4 3 3 4 4 9 2 16

2 p 2s
Example 4: Find the square of the binomial +
3q 5t

( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )
2 2 2
2 p 2s 2p 2 p 2s 2s
+ = +2 +
3q 5t 3q 3 q 5t 5t
2 2
4 p 8 ps 4 s
¿ 2+ + 2
9 q 15 qt 25 t

Example 5: Find the square of the binomial √ x−√ y

2 2 2
( √ x−√ y ) =( √ x ) −2 ( √ x ) ( √ y ) + ( √ y )
¿ x−2 √ xy+ y
2
Example 6: ( 4 x 3−3 y 2 )
3 2 2 2
¿ ( 4 x ) + 2∗4 x ∗(−3 y ) + (−3 y )
3 2

6 3 2 4
¿ 16 x −24 x y + 9 y

Square of a polynomial
 The square of a trinomial is equal to the sum of the squares of the terms plus or
minus ( ± ) twice the product of the first and second term plus or minus ( ± ) twice the product
of the first and third term, plus or minus ( ± ) twice the product of the second and third term.

( x ± y ± z )2=x 2 + y 2 + z 2 ± 2 xy ± 2 xz ± 2 yz

Illustrations:
( a+ b+c +d )2=a2 +b2 +c 2 +d 2 +2 ab+2 ac +2 ad +2 bc+ 2bd +2 cd

Example 1: Find the square of the trinomial 3 x−2 y +4 z

( 3 x−2 y +4 z )2= (3 x )2 + (−2 y )2+ ( 4 z )2 +2 ( 3 x ) (−2 y )+ 2 (−2 y ) ( 4 z ) +2 ( 3 x )( 4 z )
2 2 2
¿ 9 x + 4 y +16 z −12 xy−16 yz +24 xz

Example 2: Find the square of the trinomial 4 u+2 v−7 w

( 4 u+2 v−7 w )2=( 4 u )2 + ( 2 v )2 + ( 7 w )2+ 2 ( 4 u ) ( 2 v )−2 ( 4 u ) ( 7 w ) −2 ( 2 v )( 7 w )
2 2 2
¿ 16 u +4 v +49 w +16 uv−56 uw−28 vw

Example 3: Find the square of the trinomial 5 h4 + 7 k 3 +q 5

2 2 2 2
( 5 h 4 +7 k 3 +q 5 ) =( 5 h 4 ) + ( 7 k 3 ) + ( q5 ) +2 ( 5 h4 )( 7 k 3 ) +2 ( 5 h4 )( q5 ) +2 ( 7 k 3 )( q5 )
8 6 10 4 3 4 5 3 5
¿ 25 h + 49 k +q +70 h k +10 h q +14 k q

1 1 1
Example 4: x− y− z
Find the square of the trinomial
5 4 3

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )
2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
x− y − z = x + y + z −2 x y −2 x z +2 y z
5 4 3 5 4 3 5 4 5 3 4 3
2 2 2
x y z xy 2 xz yz
¿ + + − − +
25 16 9 10 15 6
2 6
4 2 3 c y
¿ 2 x +2 c x y +
2
Cube of a sum or difference of a binomial

( x + y )3=( x )3 +3 ( x )2 ( y ) +3 ( x )( y )2 + ( y )3=x 3 +3 x 2 y +3 x y 2+ y3
( x− y )3= ( x )3 +3 ( x )2 (− y )+3 ( x ) (− y )2+ (− y )3 ¿ x 3−3 x 2 y +3 x y2 − y 3

Example 1: Find the cube of the binomial 3 a−2 b

( 3 a−2 b )3=( 3 a )3+ 3 (3 a )2 (−2 b )+ 3 ( 3 a )(−2 b )2+ (−2b )3
3 2 2 3
¿ 27 a −54 a b+ 36 a b −8 b

Example 2: Find the cube of the binomial 2 c k 2+ 4 d

3 3 2
( 2 c k 2 +4 d ) =( 2 c k 2 ) +3 ( 2 c k 2 ) ( 4 d ) +3 ( 2 c k 2 ) ( 4 d )2 + ( 4 d )3
3 6 2 4 2 2 3
¿ 8 c k +48 c d k + 96 c d k +64 d

4x 2
Example 3: Find the cube of the binomial −7 y
3

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
3 3 2
4x 4x 4x ( 4x ( 2 2 2 3
−7 y ) +3 −7 y ) + (−7 y )
2 2
−7 y = +3
3 3 3 3
3 2 2
64 x 112 x y 4 3
¿ − +196 x y −343 y
27 3

Example 4: Find the cube of the binomial x 1/ 3− y 1 /3

3 3 2 2 3
( x 1/ 3− y 1 /3 ) =( x 1/ 3) + 3 ( x 1 /3 ) (− y 1 /3 ) +3 ( x 1/ 3 ) (− y 1/ 3 ) + (− y 1 /3 )
2/ 3 1 /3 1/ 3 2 /3
¿ x−3 x y +3 x y − y

Product of a binomial and trinomial leading to the sum or difference of two cubes

( x + y ) ( x2 −xy+ y 2 )=x 3 + y 3
( x− y ) ( x 2+ xy+ y 2 )=x 3− y 3

Example 1: Find the product of ( 2 x− y ) ( 4 x 2 +2 xy+ y 2 )

( 2 x− y ) ( 4 x 2 +2 xy+ y 2 )=( 2 x )3−( y )3
3 3
¿8 x −y

Example 2: Find the product of ( 15 + 100 n )( 251 −20 n +10000 n )

2 2 4

( 15 + 100 n )( 251 −20 n +10000 n )=( 15 ) + (100 )

3
2 2 4 3

1 6
¿ +1000000 n
125

Example 3: Fill in the missing factor( 3 u+2 v ) ()=27 u 3+ 8 v 3

 ( 3 u+2 v ) [ ( 3 u )2−( 3 u ) ( 2 v ) + ( 2 v )2 ]=27u 3+ 8 v 3
The missing factor is [ 9 u2−6uv + 4 v 2 ].

Example 4: Fill in the missing factor() ( 16 m2 +12 mn+ 9 n2 )=64 m3−27 n3

[ √ 16 m2−√ 9 n2 ] ( 16 m2+12 mn+9 n2 ) =64 m3−27 n 3
The missing factor is [ 4 m−3 n ] .

( )
3 3
x y x y
Example 5: Fill in the missing factor 3 +2 ()=27 3 + 8 3
u v u v

( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )
2 2 3 3
x y x x y y x y
3 +2 ⌈ 3 −3 2 + 2 ⌉ =27 3 +8 3
u v u u v v u v

[ ]
2 2
x xy y
The missing factor is 9 2 −6 + 4 2 .
u uv v

Example 5: Fill in the missing factor() ( 14 x −4 x +64)= 18 x + 512

2 3

[√ 1 2
4
x + √ 64](
1 2
4
1
)
x −4 x +64 = x 3+512
8
The missing factor is [ 1
2 ]
x +8 .
Exercises: Find the product by inspection:

a) ( 4 x+3 )( 2 x +7 )
b) ( 2 x− y ) ( 5 x +2 y )
c) ( 5 x 3+ 7 ) ( 3 x 3−8 )
d) ( x 2− y 2 ) ( 2 x 2−3 y 2)
e) ( 2 u2 +5 v 2 ) ( 3 u2−4 v 2 )
f) ( + )(
2 3 4 5
x y x y
+ )
g) ( 2
5
1
u− v 2
5 )( 3
5
4
u− v 2
5 )
h) ( x √5−√ 7 ) ( x √ 5+ √ 7 )
i) ( 2 x+3 )( 2 x−3 ) ( 4 x 2+ 9 )
j) ( + )(
3 4 3 4
x y x y
− )
Exercises. Find the squares of the following:
a) a + 2b + 3c

1 1 1
b) s− u− v
4 2 3

2x 5 y 4 z
c) + +
h 2k 7

Exercises. Find the cubes of the following:

a) 3 x−4 y
3 4
b) 3 x + y
5
1 1 /3 1/ 3
c) u −v
3
d) 3 m3 n−12 c k 2
1 1
e) p− q
3 4

Exercises: Find the products of the following or fill in the missing factor.

a) ( a+ 2b ) ( a2−2 ab+ 4 b 2 )
b) ( 3 x−7 y 2 ) ( 9 x 2+ 21 x y 2 )=¿
c) ( 5 q 2+11 p 5 )( 25 q4 −55 q2 p 5 +121 p10 )
 ( )
3 3
1 1 1 1
d) m− n ( )= m − n
3 4 27 64

( )( )
2 2 4 4
2x 3 y 4 x 6 2 2 9y
e) + − x y +
5 4 25 20 16
f) ( x − y ) ()=x− y
1/ 3 1 /3

g) ( 1 2 2 2
3 5 )1 6 3 8 3 6
m n+ c k ()= m n +
27 125
c k