Lesson 4

Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

 Objectives

 Accurately determine if a trinomial is a perfect

square trinomial;
 Correctly factor a perfect square trinomial; and

 Accurately solve word problems involving the

factors of a perfect square trinomial.
 Learn about it!
Perfect square trinomial – is an algebraic expression that
can be written in the form
2 2 2
𝑎 ±2 𝑎𝑏 ± 𝑏 =(𝑎± 𝑏)
Square of a Binomial – an algebraic expression that takes
the form ; the factored form of a perfect square trinomial
 Note that the first and last terms are squares of and
respectively (which should always be positive), and the
middle term is positive or negative twice the product of
and. Hence, in the factored form, the operation involved
depends on the sign of the middle term.
 Let us check if the given area (in square meters) in the
problem,. Does it follow the pattern for a perfect square
trinomial?
In , observe that and To check if it is a perfect square
trinomial, the middle term must be equal to twice the product of
and .

Since (the middle term), the given expression for the area is
a perfect square trinomial. Factoring the expression, we have

2
𝑥 + 8 𝑥 +16= ¿
 Let’s Practice
Example 1:
Write as the square of a binomial.
Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial
factor.
has no common monomial
factor.
Step 2:
Identify if the given polynomial is a perfect square trinomial.
 The first and last terms are both perfect squares.
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
𝒏 =( 𝒏) and 𝟒𝟗=(𝟕)
 The middle term is negative two times the product of
the square roots of the first and last terms.

−2 ( 𝑛 ) ( 7 )=−14 𝑛
Step 3:
Use the square root of the first term of the trinomial as the
first term of the factor and the square root of the last term of
the trinomial as the second term of the factor. Square the
binomial formed.
(Note that the operation involved in the factor depends on
the sign of the middle term.)

and √ 49=7
2
(𝑛 −7)
Hence,
Example 2
Write as the square of a binomial.
2
4 𝑝 +36 𝑝 +81
Take the square root of both first and last terms.
√ 4 𝑝 =2 𝑝
2
√ 81=9
The middle term is twice the product of the square roots
of the first and last terms.
2 ( 2 𝑝 )( 9 )=36 𝑝
 Use the square root of the first term of the trinomial as the first
term of the factor; use the square root of the last term of the
trinomial as the second term of the factor. Square the binomial
formed.
Note that the middle term is positive (addition) so the
operation to be used in the factor is addition.

√ 81=9
2
4 𝑝 +36 𝑝 +81=( 2 𝑝+ 9)(2 𝑝+ 9)
2
4 𝑝 +36 𝑝 +81 =¿
Example 3
Factor completely:
Solution:
Step 1: Check if there is a common monomial factor.
3 2 It has a common monomial factor
18 𝑥 + 60 𝑥 +50 𝑥
is the common monomial factor
Therefore
18 𝑥
3
60 𝑥 50 𝑥
2
+¿ +¿
2𝑥
=¿2 𝑥 + 30 𝑥+¿25 ¿
2𝑥 2𝑥
3 2 2
18 𝑥 +60 𝑥 +50 𝑥=2 𝑥 (9 𝑥 +30 𝑥 +25)
Step 2:
Identify if the trinomial factor is a perfect square.
Take the square root of both first and last terms.

√ 25=5
The middle term is twice the product of the square roots
of the first and last terms.

2 ( 3 𝑥 ) ( 5 ) =30 𝑥
 Use the square root of the first term of the trinomial as the first
term of the factor; use the square root of the last term of the trinomial
as the second term of the factor. Square the binomial formed.
Note that the middle term is positive (addition) so the operation
to be used in the factor is addition.
√ 9 𝑥 =¿3 𝑥
2
√ 25=¿5 2
¿
(9 𝑥 +30 𝑥+ 25) ¿ + 5)¿ + 5)
Therefore
3 2
2 𝑥 2
18 𝑥 + 60 𝑥 +50 𝑥=¿ (9 𝑥 +30 𝑥+ 25)
¿ 2 𝑥(3 𝑥 +5)(3 𝑥+ 5)
¿2 𝑥¿
Hence,
 Example 4
Factor completely:
Solution:
Step 1: Check if there is a common monomial factor.
2 2 2 2
108 𝑚 𝑝 −72 𝑚 𝑝 +12𝑚 It has a common monomial factor
is the common monomial factor
Therefore
2 2 2 2
108 𝑚 𝑝 72𝑚 𝑝 12𝑚
12 𝑚
2
−
12𝑚
2
+ ¿
12𝑚
2
=¿
12 𝑚
2
¿6 𝑝+¿1 ¿
2 2 2 2 2 2
108 𝑚 𝑝 −72 𝑚 𝑝+12𝑚 =12 𝑚 (9 𝑝 −6 𝑝+1)
Step 2:
Identify if the trinomial factor is a perfect square.
Take the square root of both first and last terms.

√ 1=1
The middle term is twice the product of the square roots
of the first and last terms.

2 ( 3 𝑝 ) (1 ) =6 𝑝
 Use the square root of the first term of the trinomial as the first
term of the factor; use the square root of the last term of the trinomial
as the second term of the factor. Square the binomial formed.
Note that the middle term is negative (subtraction) so the
operation to be used in the factor is subtraction.
√ 9 𝑝 =¿3 𝑝
2
√ 1=¿1 (9 𝑝 −6 𝑝 +1) ¿
2
¿1) ¿1)
Therefore
2 2
108 𝑚 𝑝 −72 𝑚 𝑝 +12𝑚 =¿12 𝑚(9 𝑝 −6 𝑝 +1)
2 2 2 2

¿ 12 𝑚 𝑝 −1)(3 𝑝 − 1)
(3
2
2
¿ 12 𝑚 ¿
Hence,
 Exercises
1. Squaring a binomial results in ___________.

a. perfect square trinomial

b. perfect polynomial
c. perfect trinomial
2. The middle term of a perfect square trinomial is equal to
________.
a. positive or negative half of the product of the
square roots of the first and last terms.
b. two times the product of the first and last terms.
c. positive or negative two times the product of the square
roots of the first and last terms.
3. Which of the following is a perfect square trinomial?

a.

b.

c.
4. Which of the following is a perfect square trinomial?

a.

b.

c.
5. Which of the following is the factored form of the perfect
square trinomial ?
a.

b.

c.
6. Factor the polynomial?

a.

b.

c.
7. Factor the polynomial?

a.

b.

c.
8. Factor the polynomial?

a.

b.

c.
9. is a factor of ?

a.

b.

c.
10. is a factor of ?

a.

b.

c.
Thank You
&
God Bless