Special Products and Factoring

Multiply: a Monomial and a Polynomial

Multiply each polynomial term by that monomial:
Positive numbers – law of distribution
3x2(6xy + 3y2)
3x2(6xy) + 3x2(3y2)
18x3y + 9x2y2
Negative coefficients – be careful!
-2ab2(3bz – 2az + 4z3)
-2ab2(3bz) – (-2ab2)(2az) + (-2ab2)(4z3)
-6ab2z + 4a2b2z – 8ab2z3
Number following polynomial – other distributive law
(2x3 – 3x2 – 5)(3x)
3x(2x3) – (3x)(3x2) – (3x)(5)
6x4 – 9x3 – 15x
Multiply: Two Polynomials
Horizontal Method: (use the distributive property repeatedly)
(2a + b)(3a – 2b)
= (2a + b)(3a) – (2a + b)(2b)
= 6a2 + 3ab – (4ab + 2b2)
= 6a2 + 3ab – 4ab – 2b2
= 6a2 – ab – 2b2

Vertical Method: 3x2 + 2x – 5

4x + 2 Multiply top by rightmost
6x2 + 4x – 10 Then by term to the left
12x3 + 8x2 – 20x Lastly, add like terms
12x3 + 14x2 – 16x – 10
Concept: Similar Binomials
Any pair of binomials with matching variable
parts
When multiplied, they produce a trinomial
or binomial
Examples: (x  5y) and (x  Not
(3x  5) and (x  2) (x  5y)(x  7)  x 2  Similar
7) 7x  5xy 
(3x  5)(x  2)  3x 2  x 35y
10 (a2  b) and (b  2a2 )
(a2  b)(b  2a2 )  2a 4  3a2 b 
(a 
(a  b) and
b)(a (a 2b)
 2b) a 2  3ab  b2
2b2 2 (x  y) and (x 
(2x  3) and (2x  3) Not Similar y)
(x  y)(x  y)  x 2

(2x  3)(2x  3)  4x  3x  6x
2 3 2
y2
9
The FOIL Method
Useful for Multiplying Two Similar Binomials

(x + 8)(x - 5) = x2 – 5x + 8x – 40
(4t2 + 5)(3t2 - 2) = 12t4 – 8t2 + 15t2 – 10
(y – 8)(y2 + 5) = y3 + 5y – 8y2 – 40
Practice
Using the FOIL Method in Your Head
If the polynomials are similar, combine the middle
terms
(x + 2)(x – 5) =x2 – 3x – 10
(2y + 3)(4y + 1) =8y2 + 14y + 3
(m – 3n)(m – 2n) =m2 – 5mn + 6n2
(2x + 3y2)(x – 7y2) =2x2 – 11xy2 – 21y4
(a + b)(c + d) =ac + ad + bc + bd
Multiplying 3 or more
Polynomials
Use same technique as you use for numbers:
Multiply any 2 together and simplify the
temporary product
Multiply that temporary product times any
remaining polynomial and simplify
-2r(r – 2s)(5r – s) = (use foil on the
binomials)
-2r(r2 – 11rs + s2) (distribute the monomial)
=
-2r3 – 22r2s – 2rs2
The Product of Conjugates
(F + L)(F – L) = F2 – L2
 The middle term disappears ONLY when the binomials
are conjugates: identical except for different operations
Multiplying these is easier than using FOIL!
 (x + 4)(x – 4) = x2 – 42 = x2 – 16
 (5 + 2w)(5 – 2w) = 25 – 4w2
 (3x2 – 7)(3x2 + 7) = 9x4 – 49
 (-4x – 10)(-4x + 10) = 16x2 – 100
 (6 + 4y)(6 – 4x) = use the foil method
= 36 – 24x + 24y – 16xy
Squaring a Binomial Sum
(F + L)(F + L) = F2 + 2FL + L2
Square the 1st term
Multiply 1st times 2nd,
double it, add it
Square the 2nd
term
Try:
(2x + +3)2(6x)
2 + 32
(2x)2
4x2
+ 12x
+ 2(5x/2) + 52
+9
Squaring a Binomial Difference
(F – L)(F – L) = F2 – 2FL + L2
Square the 1st term
Multiply 1st times 2nd,
double it, subtract it
Squa
re
the
– 2(12x) + 42 = 2nd
term
and
add
– 2(10ab) + (2b)2 = it
Try:
(3x - 4)2 =
2
Practice
Binomial Conjugates and Squares
(F + L)(F – L) = F2 – L2
(F + L)2 = F2 + 2FL + L2
(F – L)2 = F2 – 2FL + L2
(x + 3)(x – 3) = x2 – 9
(2y – 5)(2y – 5) = 4y2 – 20y + 25
(m + 3n)2 = m2 + 6mn + 9n2
(2y – 5)(2y + 5) = 4y2 – 25
(a + b)(a + b) = a2 + 2ab + b2
(3x – 7y)2 = 9x2 – 42xy + 49y2
Find the product of the
following:
Find the product
Find the product

Use the FOIL method

Find the product
Find the product .
Find the product

Use Dist. Prop. twice

Find the product
Factoring by Grouping
vide
o
Factoring Trinomials
Video
1
video
2
Perfect Square Trinomial
vide
o
Perfect Square Factoring
vide
o
FACTORING IS THE REVERSE of multiplying.

2x² + 9x − 5

(2x ?)(x ?)

(2x 5)(x 1)
or with x --
(2x 1)(x 5) ?

(2x − 1)(x + 5) = 2x² + 9x − 5.

Problem 1. Place the correct signs to give the middle
term.
a) 2x² + 7x − 15 = (2x − 3)(x + 5)

b) 2x² − 7x − 15 = (2x + 3)(x − 5)

c) 2x² − x − 15 = (2x + 5)(x − 3)

d) 2x² − 13x + 15 = (2x − 3)(x −

5)
Problem 2. Factor these trinomials.

a) 3x² + 8x + 5 = (3x + (x +
5) 1)
b) 3x² + 16x + 5 = (3x + )(x +
1 5)
c) 2x² + 9x + 7 = (2x + (x +
7) 1)
d) 2x² + 15x + 7 = (2x + )(x +
1 7)
e) 5x² + 8x + 3 = (5x + (x +
3) 1)
f) 5x² + 16x + 3 = (5x + )(x +
1 3)
Problem 3. Factor these trinomials.

a) 2x² − 7x + 5 = (2x − )(x −

5 1)
b) 2x² − 11x + 5 = (2x − )(x −
1 5)
c) 3x² + x − 10 = (3x − )(x +
5 2)
d) 2x² − x − 3 = (2x − )(x +
3 1)
e) 5x² − 13x + 6 = (5x − )(x −
3 2)
Factor completely 6x8 + 30x7 + 36x6.

To factor completely means to first remove any common

factor.

6x8 + 30x7 + 36x6 = 6x6(x² + 5x + 6).

Now continue by factoring the trinomial:

= 6x6(x + 2)(x + 3).

Problem 4. Factor completely. First remove any common
factors.

a) x3 + 6x² + 5x =x(x2 + 6x + 5) = x(x + 5)(x +

1)
b) x5 + 4x4 + 3x3 x3(x2 + 4x + 3) = x3(x + 1)(x + 3)
=
x²(x² + x − = x²(x + 3)(x − )
c) x4 + x3 − 6x² =6) 2
d) 4x² − 4x − = 4(x² − x − = 4(x + 2)(x −
24 6) 3)
e) 2x3 − 14x² − 36x = 2x(x2 − 7x − 18) = 2x(x + 2)(x −
9)
f) 12x10 + 42x9 + 18x8 6x8(2x² + 7x + 3) = 6x8(2x + 1)(x + 3) .
=
Quadratics in different arguments
Here is the form of a quadratic trinomial with argument x :
ax² + bx + c.

The argument is whatever is being squared. x is

being squared. x is called the argument.
The argument appears in the middle term.
a, b, c are called constants.
In this quadratic,
3x² + 2x − 1,
the constants are 3, 2,
−1.
Now here is a quadratic whose argument is x3:

3x6 + 2x3 − 1.

x6 is the square of x3.

Now, since the quadratic with argument x can be factored
in this way:

3x² + 2x − 1 = (3x − 1)(x + 1),

then the quadratic with argument x3 is factored in the

same way:

3x6 + 2x3 − 1 = (3x3 − 1)(x3 + 1).

Whenever a quadratic has constants 3, 2, −1, then

for any
argument, the factoring will be

(3 times the argument − 1)(argument + 1).

Problem 5. Multiply out each of the following, which have
the same constants, but different argument.

a) (z + 3)(z − 1) = z² + 2z −
3
b) (y + 3)(y − 1) = y² + 2y −
3
c) (y6 + 3)(y6 − 1)y12 + 2y6 −
= 3
x10 + 2x5 −
d) (x5 + 3)(x5 − 3
1) =
Problem 6. Factor each
quadratic.
a) x² − 6x + 5 = − 1) −
5) (x (x
= − 1) − 5)
b) z²8 − 6z4 + (5z (z
c) x − 6x + 5= 1) − 5)
− (x4 5 (x4 5
= (x 1)(x 5
d) x610 − 6x 5 + 5− − )3 3
e) x y − 6x y
6 3 3 = (x y 1)(x y 5
3 3

+5 − − )
Problem 7. Factor each
quadratic.
(x² − (x² +
a) x4 − x² − 2 =2 )1)
(y3 + 4) (y3 − 2)
b) y6 + 2y3 − 8 =
c) z8 + 4z4 + 3 = (z4 + 1 )(z4 + 3)

d) 2x10 + 5x5 + 3 = (2x5 + 3 )(x5 + 1 )

e) x4y² − 3x²y − 10 = (x²y + (x²y −

2) 5)
f) cos²x − 5 cos x + 6 (cos x − 3)(cos x −
= 2)
Additiona
l
Reference
 http://cnx.org/content/m21901/latest/
 The following are some of the products which occur frequently
in Mathematics.

I. a c  d   ac  ad

II.a  ba  b  a 2
 b2

III. a  b a  b   a  b   a 2  2ab 

2

b 2 IV . a  b a  b   a  b   a 2  2ab
2

 b 2 V .  x  a x  b  x 2  a  b x 
ab

VI. ax  bcx  d   acx2  ad  bc x 