Topic: Factoring

OBJECTIVES:
1.Factor polynomials expressed as a difference of
two squares.
2.Factors binomials which are sums and
differences of two cubes.
Review:
 

A. What is the product?

=a 2

= a5
= a 3b 5
= 12a3b4
Review:
B. What is the product?
1. (a + b) (a – b) = a2 – ab + ab - b2
= a 2 - b2

2.(a + b) (a - ab + b ) = a – a b + ab + a b
2 2 3 2 2 -
2 ab 2
+ b3
= a 3 + b3

3. (a - b) (a2 + ab + b2) = a3 + a2b + ab2 - a2b - ab2 - b3

= a3 – b 3
Lesson proper:
Factoring the difference of two squares
Illustrative examples
1. 4x2 – 25
2. x4 – 16y4
3. 32x3 – 18xy2
1. Factor 4x2 – 25
Solution:
Express each term as a square
4x2 = (2x)2
25 = (5)2
(2x)2 – (5)2
Recall:
(a + b) (a – b) = a2 - b2
Substitute to the pattern above:
Where a = 2x and b = 5
The answer is
4x2 – 25 = (2x + 5)(2x – 5)
2. Factor completely 32x3 – 18xy2
Solution:
Factor first the binomial by getting the GCF
2x(16x2 – 9y2)
Express each term of 16x2 – 9y2 as a square
16x2 = (4x)2
9y2 = (3y)2
(4x)2 – (3y)2
Recall: (a + b) (a – b) = a2 - b2
Substitute: (4x + 3y)(4x – 3y)
The answer is:
2x(4x + 3y)(4x – 3y)
3. Factor completely x4 – 16y4
Solution:
Express each term as a square
(x2)2 – (4y2)2
Recall (a + b) (a – b) = a2 - b2
(x2 + 4y2)(x2 – 4y2)
But (x2 – 4y2) is a difference of two squares
(x + 2y)(x – 2y)
The answer is
(x2 + 4y2)(x + 2y)(x – 2y)
Practice Exercises:
 

Factor the following polynomials

1. 25x – 36
2 = (5x) 2
– (6) 2

2. 9x – 16y
4 4 = (3x2)2 – (4y2)2

3. 12yx – 27y
2 = 3y(4x
3 2
- 9y 2
)
D. Factoring the sum and difference of two
cubes
1. 8x3 + y3
2. x7 – xy6
 1. Factor 8x3 + y3
Solution:
Write each term as cube
8x3 = (2x)3
y3 = (y)3
(2x)3 + (y)3
Recall (a + b) (a2 - ab + b2) = a3 + b3
Substitute
(2x + y)[(2x)2 – (2x)(y) + (y)2]
Simplify
The answer is (2x + y)(4x2 – 2xy + y2)
 2. Factor x7 – xy6
Solution:
Factor first the binomial by getting the GCF
= x(x6 – y6)
Write each term of the binomial as a square
= x [(x3)2 – (y3)2]
Factor the binomial
= x [(x3 + y3)(x3 – y3)]
Recall (a + b) (a2 - ab + b2) = a3 + b3 and
(a - b) (a2 + ab + b2) = a3 - b3
Factor each binomial
= x(x + y)(x2 – xy + y2)(x - y)(x2 + xy + y2)
Practice Exercises:
 

Factor the following polynomials

1. x – 27y
3 3 = (x) 3
– (3y) 3

2. p q – q
6 2 8 = q2(p6 – q6)

= (p3 + q3)(p3 – q3)

= (p + q)(p2 – pq + q2)(p - q)(p2 + pq + q2)
What I have learned
I learned how to factor polynomials expressed as a …
1. difference of two squares.
2. sum of two cubes.
3. difference of two cubes.
Evaluation
 

1. What is the factored form of 36x2 – 25y2 ?

A. 2

2. If one of the factors of x3 – 64y3 is what is the other

factor?
3. The area of a rectangle is p3 + 8q6 square units. If the
 

length is , what is the width?