Chapter 6 Section 4

6.4 Special Factoring Techniques

Objectives

1 Factor a difference of squares.

2 Factor a perfect square trinomial.

3 Factor a difference of cubes.

4 Factor a sum of cubes.

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 Special Factoring Techniques
By reversing the rules for multiplication of binomials from Section
5.6, we get rules for factoring polynomials in certain forms.

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 Objective 1

Factor a difference of squares.

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 Factor a difference of squares.

The formula for the product of the sum and difference of the same two
terms is

x  y x  y  x2  y2.  
Factoring a Difference of Squares
x 2  y 2   x  y  x  y 
For example, m 2  16  m 2  42   m  4  m  4 .

The following conditions must be true for a binomial to be a difference

of squares:
1. Both terms of the binomial must be squares, such as
x2, 9y2, 25, 1, m4.
2. The second terms of the binomials must have different signs (one
positive and one negative).

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 EXAMPLE 1 Factoring Differences of Squares

Factor each binomial if possible.

Solution:

t 2  81  t  9 t  9 

r 2  s2   r  s  r  s 

y 2  10 prime
q 2  36 prime

After any common factor is removed, a sum of squares cannot

be factored.

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 EXAMPLE 2 Factoring Differences of Squares

Factor each difference of squares.

Solution:

49 x 2  25   7 x  5  7 x  5 

64a 2  81b 2  8a  9b 8a  9b 

You should always check a factored form by multiplying.

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 EXAMPLE 3 Factoring More Complex Differences of Squares

Factor completely.

Solution:

50r  322
 2  25r 2  16   2 5r  4 5r  4 

4
z  100   z 2  10  z 2  10 
4
z  81   z  9  z  9 
2 2   z 2  9   z  3 z  3

Factor again when any of the factors is a difference of squares as in

the last problem.
Check by multiplying.

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 Objective 2

Factor a perfect square trinomial.

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 Factor a perfect square trinomial.
The expressions 144, 4x2, and 81m6 are called perfect squares
because
 .
2
 
2 2
144  12 ,2
4 x  2 x , and 81m6  9m3
A perfect square trinomial is a trinomial that is the square of a
binomial. A necessary condition for a trinomial to be a perfect square
is that two of its terms be perfect squares.

Even if two of the terms are perfect squares, the trinomial may not be
a perfect square trinomial.

Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

x  2 xy  y   x  y 
2 2 2

x 2  2 xy  y 2   x  y 
2

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 EXAMPLE 4 Factoring a Perfect Square Trinomial

Factor k2 + 20k + 100.

Solution:
2
 k  20k  100
  k  10 
2

Check :

2  k 10  20k

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 EXAMPLE 5 Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

Factor each trinomial.

Solution:

x 2  24 x  144   x  12 
2

 5 x  3
2
25 x 2  30 x  9

36a 2  20a  25 prime

 2 x 9 x 2  42 x  49   2 x 3 x  7 
3 2 2
18 x  84 x  98 x

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 Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

1. The sign of the second term in the squared binomial is always the
same as the sign of the middle term in the trinomial.

2. The first and last terms of a perfect square trinomial must be

positive, because they are squares. For example, the polynomial
x2 – 2x – 1 cannot be a perfect square, because the last term is
negative.

3. Perfect square trinomials can also be factored by using grouping or

the FOIL method, although using the method of this section is often
easier.

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 Objective 3

Factor a difference of cubes.

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 Factor a difference of cubes.

Factoring a Difference of Cubes

positive

x 3  y 3   x  y   x 2  xy  y 2 
same signopposite sign

This pattern for factoring a difference of cubes should be

memorized.

The polynomial x3 − y3 is not equivalent to (x − y )3,

x  y   x  y  x  y  x  y 
3

  x  y   x 2  2 xy  y 2 

whereas x3  y 3   x  y   x 2  xy  y 2 

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 EXAMPLE 6 Factoring Differences of Cubes

Factor each polynomial.

Solution:

x 3  216   x  6   x 2  6 x  36 

27 x  8 3  3 x  2  9 x 2  6 x  4 

5x  53  5  x 3  1  5  x  1  x 2  x  1
3
64 x  125 y 6
  4 x  5 y 2 16 x 2  20 xy 2  25 y 4 

A common error in factoring a difference of cubes, such as

x3 − y3 = (x − y)(x2 + xy + y2), is to try to factor x2 + xy + y2. It is easy to confuse
this factor with the perfect square trinomial x2 + 2xy + y2. But because there is
no 2, it is unusual to be able to further factor an expression of the form x2 +
xy +y2.
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 Objective 4

Factor a sum of cubes.

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 Factor a sum of cubes.
A sum of squares, such as m2 + 25, cannot be factored by using real
numbers, but a sum of cubes can.

Factoring a Sum of Cubes

positive

x 3  y 3   x  y   x 2  xy  y 2 
same sign opposite sign

Note the similarities in the procedures for factoring a sum of cubes and a
difference of cubes.
1. Both are the product of a binomial and a trinomial.
2. The binomial factor is found by remembering the “cube root, same sign,
cube root.”
3. The trinomial factor is found by considering the binomial factor and
remembering, “square first term, opposite of the product, square last
term.”

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 Methods of factoring discussed in this section.

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 EXAMPLE 7 Factoring Sums of Cubes

Factor each polynomial.

Solution:

p 3  64   p  4   p 2  4 p  16 

3
27 x  64 y 3
 3x  4 y  9 x  12 xy  16 y
2 2

512a  b 6 3
 8a 2  b  64a 4  8a 2b  b 2 

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