FACTORING

CASES
BY ANDRÉS ALFONSO POLO
 MAIN CASES OF
FACTORIZATION

1) common factor
2) common factor by grouping of terms
3) Difference of Perfect Squares
4) Perfect Square Trinomial
5) Trinomial of the form
6) trinomial of the form
7) Sum and Difference of Perfect
Cubes
1. COMMON FACTOR

Applies to binomials,
trinomials and polynomials
3 𝑥 +3 𝑦
of four terms or more.
𝑚𝑝 +𝑚𝑞+𝑚𝑟

It is the first case to be to

𝑎 6 − 3 𝑎 4 + 8 𝑎 3 − 4 𝑎2
inspect when trying to factor
a polynomial.

2 𝑥9

 The common factor can be a

number, a letter letter, several
letters, a negative sign, an
algebraic expression (enclosed in
parentheses) or combinations of
all of the above
1. COMMON FACTOR

HO W T O F A C T O R ? E X E R C IS E S

 From the coefficients of the terms, the GCD

(Greatest Common Divisor) of the terms is extracted. 3 𝑥 +3 𝑦
 - From the repeated letters or expressions in
parentheses, the one with the lowest exponent is 𝑚𝑝 +𝑚𝑞+𝑚𝑟
extracted.

 - The common factor is written, followed by a

𝑎 6 − 3 𝑎 4 + 8 𝑎 3 − 4 𝑎2
parenthesis where the polynomial that remains after
the common factor has left each term is written.
2. COMMON FACTOR BY GROUPING OF TERMS

 It is applied in polynomials that have 4,

6, 8 or more terms (as long as the
number is even) and where it has already
been verified that there is no common
factor (case 1).
2. COMMON FACTOR BY GROUPING OF TERMS

HO W T O F A C T O R ?
E X E R C IS E S

 We form groups, generally with the 𝑝𝑥 +𝑚𝑥+𝑝𝑦 +𝑚𝑦

same number of terms that have the
same common factor.  b-5bc

 We factor in each group as in the

previous case

 There must now be a new common

factor between the terms, so we factor
again as in the first case.
3. DIFFERENCE OF PERFECT SQUARES

 It applies only to binomials, where the 𝑎 2 − 𝑏2

first term is positive and the second term is
negative. 4 𝑎2 − 9
 It is recognized because the coefficients of
the terms are perfect square numbers
3. DIFFERENCE OF PERFECT SQUARES

HO W T O F A C T O R ? E X E R C IS E S

• The square root of each term is extracted. 𝑎 2 − 𝑏2

• - Two groups of parentheses (connected to

4 𝑎2 − 9
each other by multiplication) are opened.

• - The square roots that were obtained from 16 𝑥2 −25 𝑦 4

each term are noted inside each parenthesis
4 .PE RFECT SQU ARE TRIN OM IAL

 - The trinomial must be organized in ascending

4 𝑥 2 +12 𝑥 𝑦 2 +9 𝑦 4
or descending order (either of the two).

 - Both the first and third terms must be 25 𝑚4 − 40 𝑚 2+16

positive.

 Likewise, those two terms must be perfect

squares (that is, they must have an exact
square root).
4.PERFECT SQUARE TRINOMIAL

HO W T O F A C T O R ? E X E R C IS E S

• we extract the square root of the first and

third terms
4 𝑥 2 +12 𝑥 𝑦 2 +9 𝑦 4
• write them in parentheses, separating them by
the sign that accompanies the second term;
25 𝑚4 − 40 𝑚 2+16
• when closing the parenthesis we raise the
whole binomial to the square.
5. TRINOMIAL OF THE FORM

 The trinomial must be organized in descending Example

order.

 The coefficient of the first term must be one 𝑥2 +5 𝑥+6

(1).
𝑎 2 − 2 𝑎 − 15
 The degree (exponent) of the first term must
be twice the degree (exponent) of the second
term.
 5. TRINOMIAL OF THE FORM
HO W T O F A C T O R ?
E X E R C IS E S
 Two groups of parentheses are opened.
𝑥2 − 2 𝑥 − 15
 The square root of the first term is
extracted and noted at the beginning of each 𝑥 4 +11 𝑥 2+ 28
parenthesis.
 The signs are defined:

 We are looking for two quantities that

multiplied give the independent term as a
result (ie c), and that added give the
coefficient of the second term as a result (ie
b).

 we write the quantities in the blanks

6.TRINOMIAL OF THE FORM

 The trinomial must be organized in descending

EXAMPLE
order.

 The first term must be positive and different

from one (a≠1).

 The degree (exponent) of the first term must

be twice the degree (exponent) of the second
term.
6.TRINOMIAL OF THE FORM

HO W T O F A C T O R ? EXERCISE

  multiply and divide the trinomial by the main

coefficient, that is, a.
6 𝑥 2+5 𝑥 − 4
 In the numerator we carry out the distributive
property, in the second term the product is not
realized but is left expressed

 - The first term is expressed as the square of

what was left in parentheses in the second term.

 - We apply case 5 (Trinomial of the form

x2n+bxn+c) in the numerator.

 - We apply case 1 (Common Factor) in the

parentheses formed and we simplify the fraction
(to eliminate the denominator).
7. SUM AND DIFFERENCE OF PERFECT CUBES

 It applies only in binomials, where the

first term is positive (the second term can
be positive or negative).
 - It is recognized because the coefficients
of the terms are perfect cube numbers
7. SUM AND DIFFERENCE OF PERFECT CUBES

HO W T O F A C T O R ? E X E R C IS E S

• two parentheses are opened

• In the first parenthesis, put the cube roots of
each of the terms and the sign that
accompanies them.

• In the second parenthesis we write the first

term squared, minus (plus) the product of the
first by the second, plus the square of the third
term.