Factoring Polynomials

Lesson 1c
Factoring the Sum and
Difference of Two Cubes
Perfect cube numbers or
expressions
- numbers or expressions with exact cube
root

- numbers or expressions with 3 equal

factors
Give the cube root of the following
numbers / terms:
8 2 x 3
x
27 3 y 6
y2

64 4 ab 3 6 ab 2

343 7 27k 12
3k 4

125 5 512m n
15 18
8m n
5 6
Examples
1. x + 8
3
2. x – 8
3
3. a – b
3 3
4. x – 64
6
5. 125a – 343b
3 3
6. 16x – 54
3
7. 4b – 256b
4
To factor the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes:
1. Get the greatest common factor first if there is
any
2. Get the cube root of both terms following the sign
in the middle to get the binomial factor
3. To get the trinomial factor:
a. Square the first term of the binomial factor.
b. Get the product of both terms of the first factor
affixing the sign opposite the sign in between.

c. Square the last term.

 Factor the following
sum and difference of
two cubes using the
pattern you have
learned.
 c – 64
3

(c – 4)(c + 4c + 16)
2
 m + 343
3

(m + 7)(m – 7m + 49)
2
 a – 125
3

(a – 5)(a + 5a + 25)
2
 b – 216
3

(b – 6)(b + 6b + 36)
2
 m + 64
6

(m + 4)(m – 4m + 16)
2 4 2
 m + 512
9

(m + 8)(m – 8m + 64)
3 6 3

(m+2)(m – 2m+ 4)(m – 8m + 64)

2 6 3
 a +1
12

(a + 1)(a – a + 1)
4 8 4
 a – 729
15

(a – 9)(a + 9a + 81)
5 10 5
 8m + 27n
3 3

(2m + 3n)(4m – 6mn + 9n )

2 2
 343a – b 3 3

(7a – b)(49a + 7ab + b )

2 2
 27a + 8b 6 9

(3a + 2b )(9a – 6a b + 4b )
2 3 4 2 3 6
 a +b9 9

(a + b )(a – a b + b )
3 3 6 3 3 6

(a+b)(a – ab + b )(a – a b + b )
2 2 6 3 3 6
343m – n 12 12

(7m – n )(49a – 7m n + n )
4 4 8 4 4 8
64a + 8b12 12

8(2a + b )(4a – 2a b + b )
4 4 8 4 4 8
 8t + 64
3

(2t + 4)(4t – 8t + 16)

3
1000x z + 27z
3 6 6

z (10x + 3)(100x – 30x + 9)

6 2
 (x+1) – 1 3

[(x+1) – 1][(x+1) + (x+1) + 1]

2
x (x – 3) + (x – 3)
3

(x – 3) (x + 1) (x – x + 1)
2
TRY!
Factor each sum and difference difference of two cubes.

1. k – 125y
3 3

2. r – 8t
3 3

3. 64 + h 6

4. 8x + 27y
6 3

5. 125c – 64d
12 6
Answers.
1. (k – 5y)(k + 5ky + 25y )
2 2

2. (r – 2t)(r + 2rt +4t )

2 2

3. (4 + h ) (16 – 4h + h )
2 2 4

4. (2x + 3y) (4x – 6x y + 9y )

2 4 2 2

5. (5c4 – 4d2)(25c8 + 20c4d2 + 16d4)

Factor each sum and difference of two cubes.
1. 216 + w 6

2. 27p – 8q
3 3

3. 1000v – 1
3

4. 3a – 81
3

5. 64h + 27k
3 3