WEEK 4 MODULE
COLLEGE ALGEBRA
Lesson 4: Factoring Formulas Time: 3 hours
Term: MIDTERM
About the Lesson: This lesson will give the learners an idea about the different factoring
formulas of polynomials such as greatest common factor, difference of two squares, perfect
square, sum of squares, sum of two cubes and factoring by grouping.
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Perform the factoring formulas such as:
Greatest Common Factor
Perfect Square Trinomial
Factoring by grouping
Special product Formulas
Learning Resources
A. References
College Algebra – Fifth Edition by Mark Dugopolski
B. Other Online Learning Resources
[Link]
ementaryAlg_Module6_Workbook_Factoring.pdf?sequence=92&isAllowed=y
[Link]
[Link]
Lesson Proper:
Lesson 4: Factoring Formulas
When factoring there are a few special products that, if we can recognize them, can help
us factor polynomials. It is very important not to confuse the meanings of “expanding” and
“factoring”. These two are exactly the opposite procedures of each other. Expanding literally
means “multiplying out” while factoring means writing the given expression as a product of
algebraic expressions.
FACTORING
- The process of expressing a given number in terms of prime factors.
- The reverse of multiplying. To factor an expression means to write and equivalent
expression that is a product of two or more expression.
A. Factoring by GREATEST COMMON FACTOR
Factoring out the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) is perhaps the most used type of
factoring because it occurs as part of the process of factoring other types of products.
ax +bx=x ( a+b)
To factor out common factor, divide each term of the polynomials by the
product of the greatest common factor.
Common Factor – a factor contained in every term of an algebraic expression
Greatest Common Factor – the highest factor which is common to all terms in an
algebraic expression.
To find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF):
a. Factor each completely; and
b. Multiply all common factors:
Examples:
Find the GCF, then factor:
1. 15 x 2−10 x y 2
Solution:
Prime Factors of 15 x 2 5 ∙3 ∙ x ∙ x
5∙x
Prime factors of −10 x y 2 5 ∙−2 ∙ x ∙ y ∙ y
GCF¿ 5 x
¿ 5 x [ ( 15 x 2 ÷ 5 x )−(10 xy 2 ÷ 5 x ) ]
Factored 1st term divided 2nd term divided
Out GCF by GCF by GCF
2. 12 x2 y 5−30 x 4 y 2
Solution:
Prime Factors of 12 x2 y 5 2 ∙3 ∙ 2∙ x ∙ x ∙ y ∙ y ∙ y ∙ y ∙ y
Prime factors of −30 x 4 y 2 −5 ∙3 ∙ 2∙ x ∙ x ∙ x ∙ x ∙ y ∙ y
3 ∙2 ∙ x ∙ x ∙ y ∙ y
GCF¿ 6 x 2 y 2
12 x2 y 5 30 x 4 y 2
¿ 6 x2 y2
[( 2 2
6x y
−)( 2 2
6x y )]
¿ 6 x 2 y 2 (2 y 3−5 x 2)
3. 8 a 2 b c 2−24 a3 b2 c+16 a b2 c3
Solution:
Prime Factors:
8 a 2 b c 2=¿ 2 ∙2 ∙ 2∙ a ∙ a∙ b ∙ c ∙ c
2 ∙2 ∙ 2∙ 3 ∙a ∙ a ∙ a ∙b ∙ b ∙ c
−24 a3 b 2 c =¿
2 ∙2 ∙ 2∙ 3 ∙a ∙ b ∙ b ∙c ∙ c ∙ c
16 a b 2 c 3=¿
2 ∙2 ∙ 2∙ a ∙ b∙ c
GCF¿ 8 abc
8 a2 b c 2 24 a3 b2 c 16 a b 2 c 3
¿ 8 abc [( 8 abc )(
−
8 abc
+ )(
8 abc )]
¿ 8 abc ¿
4. 3 a z 3+ 2 a2 z 2 +4 a3 z 4
Factor out GCF by inspection:
a. Notice that the numerical coefficients of the terms have no common factors.
b. From the variable, take the least exponent.
c. Hence the GCF is a z 2, therefore the factor are:
3 a z3 2 a2 z 2 4 a3 z 4
¿a z 2
[( ) ( ) ( ) ]
a z2
+
a z2
+
a z2
¿ a z2 ¿
Activity # 02:
Direction: Find the quotient following algebraic expressions.
1. 42 c 2 d 4 ÷6 cd 2=¿
2. 4 a2 b3 c 4 ÷ ( −2 a2 b 2 c 2 ) =¿
3. (9 x 3 y 4) ÷ (−12 x6 y 2 )=¿
a4 m b 2 m−1
4.
am bm +2
5. (−3 m n4 )(4 m2 n3 )÷ (−6 m3 n6 ) =¿
B. FACTORING BY DIFFERENCE OF TWO SQUARES
a 2−b2=(a+ b)(a−b)
- The difference of the squares of two terms can be factored as the sum and difference of
their square roots.
Conditions: 1. There must be two terms, both of which are perfect
squares.
2. The operation between two terms is SUBTRACTION.
Step in Factoring by Difference of Two squares:
Step 1: Decide if the four terms have anything in common, called the greatest
common factor or GCF. If so, factor out the GCF. Do not forget to include the GCF
as part of your final answer.
Step 2: Every difference of squares problem can be factored as follows:
a 2−b2=(a+ b)(a – b)∨(a – b)(a+b). So, all you need to do to factor these types of
problems is to determine what numbers squares will produce the desired results.
Step 3: Determine if the remaining factors can be factored any further.
Examples:
Factor the following:
1. x 2−36
Solution:
x 2=¿ The first term is a perfect square.
36=¿ The second term is a perfect square.
¿ √ x2 + √ 36
2. 4 x2 −81
Solution:
Step 1: Decide if the four terms have anything in common, called the greatest
common factor or GCF. If so, factor out the GCF. Do not forget to include the
GCF as part of your final answer. In this case, the two terms only have a 1 in
common which is of no help.
4 x2 −81
Step 2: To factor this problem into the form (a+ b)(a – b) , you need to determine
what squares will equal4 x2 and what squared will equal 81. In this case the
choices are2 x and 9 because (2 x)(2 x) =4 x2 and (9)(9)=81.
( 2 x+ 9 )( 2 x−9 )
or
( 2 x−9 ) ( 2 x +9 )
Step 3: Determine if any of the remaining factors can be factored further. In this
case they cannot so the final answer is:
( 2 x+ 9 )( 2 x−9 )
or
( 2 x−9 ) ( 2 x +9 )
3. 9 x 3−81 x
Solution:
Step 1: Decide if the four terms have anything in common, called the greatest
common factor or GCF. If so, factor out the GCF. Do not forget to include the
GCF as part of your final answer. In this case, the two terms have a 9x in
common, which leaves:
9 x 3−81 x
¿ 9 x (x¿ ¿2−9) ¿
Step 2: To factor this problem into the form (a+ b)(a – b) , you need to determine
what squares will equal x 2and what squared will equal 9. In this case the choices
are x and 3 because ( x)(x )=x 2 and (3)(3)=9
9 x ( x +3 ) ( x−3 )
or
9 x ( x−3)(x +3)
Step 3: Determine if any of the remaining factors can be factored further. In this
case they cannot so the final answer is:
9 x ( x +3 ) ( x−3 )
or
9 x ( x−3)(x +3)
4. 18 x 2−98 y 2
Solution:
Step 1: Decide if the four terms have anything in common, called the greatest
common factor or GCF. If so, factor out the GCF. Do not forget to include the
GCF as part of your final answer. In this case, the two terms have a 2 in common,
which leaves:
18 x 2−98 y 2
¿ 2(9 x ¿ ¿ 2−49 y 2 )¿
Step 2: To factor this problem into the form (a+ b)(a – b), you need to determine
what squares will equal 9 x 2 and what squared will equal 49 y 2. In this case the
choices are 3 x and 7 y because (3 x)(3 x )=9 x 2 and (7 y )(7 y)=49 y 2
2 ( 3 x +7 y ) ( 3 x −7 y )
or
2(3 x−7 y )(3 x+7 y )
Step 3: Determine if any of the remaining factors can be factored further. In this
case they cannot so the final answer is:
2 ( 3 x +7 y ) ( 3 x −7 y )
or
2(3 x−7 y )(3 x+7 y )
Activity # 02:
C. FACTORING PERFECT SQUARE TRINOMIAL
a 2+2 ab+ b2=¿
a 2−2 ab+b2 =¿
D. FACTORING a QUADRATIC TRINOMIAL
If the trinomial in the form x 2+ bx+ c is not a perfect square trinomial, then this
can be factored by choosing two numbers with product c and sum b.
The two numbers may be both positive, both negative, and one may be positive
and the other negative.
There are several ways we can factor a polynomial of the form a x 2+ bx+ c , a ≠ 0.
Method 1: Reverse FOIL.
Mentally work backwards from what we know about FOIL. This works best for the
simple case, when a = 1. It is a lot harder when a ≠ 1.
Step in Reverse FOIL:
Step 1: List the factors for c.
Step 2: If the sign of c is positive, the signs of the binomial are the same. If c is positive,
then the signs are positive; if c is negative, the signs are negative. We want the factors
that ADD up to b.
Step 3: If the sign of c is negative, one of the binomials will have a positive sign, and the
other will be negative. We want the factors that SUBTRACT to make b (we are still
adding, but since they have opposite signs, we will essentially be subtracting; it is
important to consider the sign when we add these numbers of different signs).
Examples:
1. x 2+ 5 x +6
Solution:
a=1 b=5 c=6
Step 1: List the factors for c.
Factors of 6 Sum of Factors
6 ×1 7
−6 ×−1 −7
3 ×2 5
−3 ×−2 −5
Since the product of 3 and 2 is 6(which I equal to c) and the sum of 3 and 2 is 5 (which
is equal to 5), then the factored form of x 2+ 5 x +6 is ( x +3)(x+ 2).
Method 2: BOX METHOD.
This method works well for any value of a.
Step in Box Method:
Step 1: Draw a 2x2 box. Put a x 2 in the upper left box and c in the lower right box.
Step 2: Multiply a ∙ c. List the factors. Based on the signs of the trinomial, we can
determine whether we want factors that add up or subtract to c (see method 1).
Step 3: Place the factors as coefficients to the x-variable in the remaining boxes.
Step 4: Extract common factors vertically and horizontally. These are your binomials!
Solution:
x 2+ 5 x +6
Step 1: Draw a 2x2 box. Put a x 2 in the upper left box and c in the lower right box.
x2
6
Step 2: Multiply a ∙ c. List the factors. Based on the signs of the trinomial, we can determine
whether we want factors that add up or subtract to c.
Factors of 6 Sum of Factors
6 ×1 7
−6 ×−1 −7
3 ×2 5
−3 ×−2 −5
Step 3: Place the factors as coefficients to the x-variable in the remaining boxes.
x2 2 x
3x 6
Step 4: Extract common factors vertically and horizontally. These are your binomials.
x2 2x
x
3x 6 ( x +3)(x+ 2)
3
x 2
a∙c
Method 2: DIAMOND METHOD.
e f
This method works for any value o f a.
b
Step in Diamond Method:
Step 1: Draw a diagonal line intersecting one another, In the top, put the product of a and
c.
Step 2: In the bottom, put the value of b
Step 3: The left and the right locations are the numbers that when multiplied d, give us
ac, and when added, give us b, that i s ef =ac and e +f =b.
Step 4: Put a fraction bar over the left and right values, and put a on top. Reduce.
Step 5: The top part of the fraction bar is the x-coefficient of the binomial factor, and the
bottom part is the constant part.
Solution:
x 2+ 5 x +6 , a=1 b=5 c=5
Step 1: Draw a diagonal line intersecting one another, in the top, put the product of a and c.
a∙c 6
Step 2: In the bottom, put the value of b.
Step 3: The left and the right locations are the numbers that when multiplied d, give us ac, and
when added, give us b, that i s ef =ac and e +f =b.
