6 Factoring and Applications

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 1
6.5 Special Factoring Techniques
Objectives
1. Factor the difference of squares.
2. Factor a perfect square trinomial.

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 2
 Factor a Difference of Squares

Factoring a Difference of Squares

a2 – b2 = (a + b)(a – b)

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 terms of the binomial must have different signs (one
positive and one negative).
Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 3
 Factor a Difference of Squares

Example 1
Factor each binomial, if possible.

(a) x2 –= 64
(x)2 – (8)2= (x + 8)(x – 8)

ab22 a b a b a b

(b) y2 + 36 Since y2 + 36 is a sum of squares, it cannot be

factored. It is a prime polynomial.

CAUTION
As Example 1(b) suggests, after any common factor is
removed, a sum of squares cannot be factored.

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 4
 Factor a Difference of Squares

Example 2
Factor each binomial, if possible.

(a) 9y2 – =
121
(3y)2 – (11)2 = (3y + 11)(3y – 11)

(b) 25z2 – 12 Because 12 is not the square of an integer,

this binomial is not a difference of squares.
It is a prime polynomial.

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 5
 Factor a Difference of Squares

Example 3
Factor completely.

(a) y4 –=81
(y2)2 – (9)2
= (y2 + 9)(y2 – 9)
= (y2 + 9)(y + 3)(y – 3)

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 6
 Factor a Difference of Squares

Example 3 (concluded)
Factor completely.

(b) 48m4 – 243n

= 3(16m
4 4
– 81n4) Factor out the GCF of 3.
= 3[(4m2)2 – (9n2)2]
Sum of squares= 3(4m2 + 9n2)(4m2 – 9n2) Difference
cannot be factored. 2 of squares
= 3(4m + 9n2)(2m + 3n)(2m – 3n)

CAUTION
Factor again when any of the factors is a difference of
squares, as in Example 3(b). Check by multiplying.
Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 7
 Factor a Perfect Square Trinomial

A perfect square trinomial is a trinomial that is the

square of a binomial.

Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b)2
a2 – 2ab + b2 = (a – b)2

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 8
 Factor a Perfect Square Trinomial

Example 4
This looks like the second form of a
(a) Factor x – 20x + 100.
2
perfect square trinomial. So, we
will guess that this factors as

a (x – 10)2 b
To check, take twice the product of the two terms in the squared
binomial.
2 · x · 10 = 20x
Since 20x is the middle term of the trinomial, the trinomial is a
perfect square.
x2 –20x + 100 = (x – 10)2

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 9
 Factor a Perfect Square Trinomial

Example 5
This looks like the first form of a
(a) Factor 9z2 + 16z + 64. perfect square trinomial. So, we will
guess that this factors as

a (3z + 8)2 b

To check, 2 · 3z · 8 = 48z should be the middle term of the

trinomial. That is not the case. This trinomial is not a perfect
square, and cannot be factored. It is a prime polynomial.

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 10
 Factor a Perfect Square Trinomial

Example 5 (concluded)
(b) Factor 16y3 + 56y2 + 49y.
First, factor out the GCF of y.
16y3 + 56y2 + 49y = y(16y2 + 56y + 49) It looks like we have a
perfect square trinomial.
= y(4y + 7) 2
Guess the factors.
To check, 2 · 4y · 7 = 56y should be the middle term of the
trinomial. Since that is the case, our guess was right, and the
original polynomial factors.
16y3 + 56y2 + 49y = y(4y + 7)2

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 11
 Factor a Perfect Square Trinomial

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

Copyright © 2014, 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Section 6.5 Slide 12