Chapter 5

Polynomials:
Factoring
5.1 INTRODUCTION TO FACTORING

a. Find the greatest common factor,

the GCF, of monomials.
b. Factor polynomials when the terms
have a common factor, factoring out
the greatest common factor.
c. Factor certain expressions with four
terms using factoring by grouping.
Factoring
To factor a polynomial is to find an
equivalent expression that is a product.
An equivalent expression of this type is
called a factorization of the polynomial.
The numbers 20 and 30 have several factors in
common, among them 2 and 5. The greatest of these
common factors is called the greatest common factor,
GCF. One way to find the GCF is by making a list of
the factors of each number.
The factors of 20: 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, and 20
The factors of 30: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, and 30
Common numbers: 1, 2, 5, and 10.
The GCF is 10.
Another way to find the GCF is to find the prime
factorization of each number. Then draw lines between
common factors.
 Example

Find the GCF of 420 and 924.

Solution
Write the prime factorization of each number.
420 = 2  2  3 5  7

924 = 2  2  3  7 11

The GCF is 2  2  3  7  84
Factor: Factorization
To factor a polynomial is to express it as a
product.
A factor of a polynomial P is a polynomial that
can be used to express P as a product.
A factorization of a polynomial is an
expression that names that polynomial as a
product.
 Example
Find the GCF of 30x3, 48x4, 54x5, and 12x2.
Solution
Prime factor of each number.
30x = 2  3  5  x
3 3

–48x4 = 1 2  2  2  2  3  x The GCF of the

4

coefficients is 6.
54x5 = 2  3  3  3  x5 The GCF of these
monomials is x2,
12x2 = 2  2  3  x
2
because 2 is the smallest
exponent of x.
 Example

Factor: 28x6 + 32x3.

Solution

28x6 + 32x3 = 4x3  7x3 + 4x3  8 Factoring each term

= 4x3(7x3 + 8) Factoring out the GCF, 4x3
 Example

Factor: 12x5  21x4 + 24x3

Solution
The largest common factor is 3x3.

12x5  21x4 + 24x3 = 3x3  4x2  3x3  7x + 3x3  8

= 3x3(4x2  7x + 8)
Factoring by Grouping
Sometime algebraic expressions contain a common
factor with two or more terms.
Example I Factor x2(x + 2) + 3(x + 2).

Solution The binomial (x + 2) is a factor of both

x2(x + 2) and 3(x + 2). Thus, x + 2 is a common factor.
x2(x + 2) + 3(x + 2) = (x2 + 3) (x + 2)

The factorization is (x2 + 3)(x + 2).

 Example

Factor by grouping.
a) 3x3 + 9x2 + x + 3
b) 9x4 + 6x  27x3  18
Solution
a) 3x3 + 9x2 + x + 3 = (3x3 + 9x2) + (x + 3)
= 3x2(x + 3) + 1(x + 3)
= (3x2 + 1)(x + 3)
Don’t forget to
include the 1.
continued
b) 9x4 + 6x  27x3  18
= (9x4 + 6x) + (27x3  18)
= 3x(3x3 + 2) + (9)(3x3 + 2)
= (3x – 9)(3x3 + 2)
 FACTORING TRINOMIALS of the
5.2 Type x2 + bx + c

a. Factor trinomials of the type

x2 + bx + c by examining the
constant term c.
To Factor x2 + bx + c when c is Positive
When the constant term of a trinomial is
positive, look for two numbers with the
same sign. The sign is that of the middle
term:
x2 – 7x + 10 (x – 2)(x – 5);

x2 + 7x + 10 (x + 2)(x + 5);
 Example

Factor: y2  8y + 15.
Solution
Since the constant term is positive and the coefficient of the
middle term is negative, we look for the factorization of 15 in
which both factors are negative. Their sum must be 8.

Pairs of Sums of
Factors of 15 Factors
1, 15 16
3, 5 8 Sum of 8

y2  8y + 15 = (y  3)(y  5)
To Factor x2 + bx + c When c is Negative
When the constant term of a trinomial is negative,
look for two numbers whose product is negative.
One must be positive and the other negative:

x2 – 4x – 21 = (x + 3)(x – 7);

x2 + 4x – 21 = (x – 3)(x + 7).

Select the two numbers so that the number with the larger absolute value
has the same sign as b, the coefficient of the middle term.
 Example

Factor: x2  5x  24.
Solution The constant term Pairs of Sums of
must be expressed as the Factors of 24 Factors

product of a negative number 1, 24 23

and a positive number. Since the 2, 12 10
sum of the two numbers must 3, 8 5
be negative, the negative 4, 6 2
number must have the greater 6, 4 2
absolute value. 8, 3 5

x2  5x  24 = (x + 3)(x  8)
 Example

Factor: t2  32 + 4t.
Solution Rewrite the Pairs of Sums of
trinomial t2 + 4t  32. We Factors of 3 Factors

need one positive and one 1, 32 31

negative factor. The sum must 2, 16 14
be 4, so the positive factor 4, 8 4
must have the larger absolute
value.

t2 + 4t  32 = (t + 8)(t  4)
Prime Polynomials

A polynomial that cannot be factored is considered

prime.
Example: x2  x + 7

Often factoring requires two or more steps. Remember,

when told to factor, we should factor completely. This
means the final factorization should contain only prime
polynomials.
 Example

Factor: 2x3  24x2 + 72x.

Solution
Always look first for a common factor. We can
factor out 2x:
2x(x2  12x + 36)
Since the constant term is positive and the
coefficient of the middle term is negative, we
look for the factorization of 36 in which both
factors are negative. Their sum must be 12.
continued Factor: 2x3  24x2 + 72x
The factorization of
(x2  12x + 36) is Pairs of
Factors of 36
Sums of
Factors
(x  6)(x  6) or (x  6)2 1, 36 37
2, 18 20
3, 12 15
The factorization of 4, 9 13
2x3  24x2 + 72x is 6, 6 12
2x(x  6)2 or 2x(x  6)(x  6)
 Factoring ax2 + bx + c, a  1: The FOIL
5.3 Method

a. Factor trinomials of the type

ax2 + bx + c, a  1, using the
FOIL Method.
The Foil Method
 Example Factor: 3x2  14x  5

Solution
1. First, check for a common factor. There is
none other than 1 or 1.
2. Find the First terms whose product is 3x2.
The only possibilities are 3x and x:
(3x + )(x + )
3. Find the Last terms whose product is 5.
Possibilities are (5)(1), (5)(1)
Important!: Since the First terms are not identical,
we must also consider the above factors in reverse
order: (1)(5), and (1)(5).
continued Factor: 3x2  14x  5
4. Knowing that the First and Last products will check, inspect
the Outer and Inner products resulting from steps (2) and (3)
Look for the combination in which the sum of the products is
the middle term.
(3x  5)(x + 1) = 3x2 + 3x  5x  5
= 3x2  2x  5 Wrong middle term
(3x  1)(x + 5) = 3x2 + 15x  x  5
= 3x2 + 14x  5 Wrong middle term
(3x + 5)(x  1) = 3x2  3x + 5x  5
= 3x2 + 2x  5 Wrong middle term
(3x + 1)(x  5) = 3x2  15x + x  5
= 3x2  14x  5
Correct middle term!
 FACTORING ax2 + bx + c, a  1: The
5.4 ac- Method

a. Factor trinomials of the type ax2 + bx + c,

a  1, using the ac-method.
The ac-Method
1. Factor out the largest common factor, if any.
2. Multiply the leading coefficient a and the
constant c.
3. Try to factor the product ac so that the sum of
the factors is b. That is, find integers p and q
such that pq = ac and p + q = b.
4. Split the middle term. That is, write it as a
sum or difference using the factors found in
step (3).
5. Factor by grouping.
6. Check by multiplying.
 Factor 4x2  5x  6
Example

Solution
1. First, we note that there is no common factor (other
than 1 or 1).
2. We multiply the leading coefficient, 4 and the
constant, 6:
(4)(6) = 24.
3. We next look for the factorization of 24 in which
the sum of the factors is the coefficient of the
middle term, 5.
continued Factor 4x2  5x  6
3. Pairs of Factors Sums of
of 24 Factors
1, 24 23
1, 24 23
2, 12 10
2, 12 10
3, 8 5
3, 8 5 We would normally
stop listing pairs of
4, 6 2 factors once we have
4, 6 2 found the one we are
after.
continued Factor 4x2  5x  6
4. Next, we express the middle term as a sum or
difference using the factors found in step (3):
5x = 8x + 3x.
5. We now factor by grouping as follows:
4x2  5x  6 = 4x2  8x + 3x  6
= 4x(x  2) + 3(x  2)
= (x  2)(4x + 3)
6. Check: (x  2)(4x + 3) = 4x2 + 3x  8x  6
= 4x2  5x  6
The factorization of 4x2  5x  6 is (x  2)(4x + 3).
 FACTORING TRINOMIAL SQUARES and
5.5 DIFFERENCES OF SQUARES

a. Recognize trinomial squares.

b. Factor trinomials squares.
c. Recognize differences of squares.
d. Factor differences of squares, being
careful to factor completely.
A trinomial that is the square of a binomial is called a
perfect-square trinomial.

Trinomial Squares
(A + B)2 = A2 + 2AB + B2;
(A – B)2 = A2 – 2AB + B2
 Example

Determine whether each of the following is a perfect-

square trinomial.
a) x2 + 8x + 16 b) t2  9t  36 c) 25x2 + 4  20x
Solution
a) x2 + 8x + 16
1. Two terms, x2 and 16, are squares.
2. Neither x2 or 16 is being subtracted.
3. The remaining term, 8x, is 2  x  4, where x
and 4 are the square roots of x2 and 16. Thus
x2 + 8x + 16 is a perfect-square trinomial.
continued
b) t2  9t  36
1. Two terms, t2 and 36, are squares. But
2. Since 36 is being subtracted t2  9t  36 is not
a perfect-square trinomial.
c) 25x2 + 4  20x
It helps to write it in descending order.
25x2  20x + 4
1. Two terms, 25x2 and 4, are squares.
2. There is no minus sign before 25x2 or 4.
3. Twice the product of the square roots is 2  5x  2,
is 20x, the opposite of the remaining term, 20x.
Thus 25x2  20x + 4 is a perfect-square trinomial.
 Example

Factor: a) x2 + 8x + 16 b) 25x2  20x + 4

Solution
a) x2 + 8x + 16 = x2 + 2  x  4 + 42 = (x + 4)2

A2 + 2 A B + B2 = (A + B)2

b) 25x2  20x + 4 = (5x)2  2  5x  2 + 22 = (5x  2)2

A2 – 2 A B + B2 = (A – B)2
 Example

Factor: 16a2  24ab + 9b2

Solution
16a2  24ab + 9b2 = (4a)2  2(4a)(3b) + (3b)2
= (4a  3b)2

Check: (4a  3b)(4a  3b) = 16a2  24ab + 9b2

The factorization is (4a  3b)2.

Factoring a Difference of Squares
A2 – B2 = (A + B)(A – B)
 Example

Factor: a) x2  9 b) y2  16w2
Solution
a) x2  9 = x2  32 = (x + 3)(x  3)

A2  B2 = (A + B)(A  B)

b) y2  16w2 = y2  (4w)2 = (y + 4w)(y  4w)

A2  B2 = (A + B) (A  B)
Factoring Completely
Sometimes, a complete factorization requires two or
more steps. Factoring is complete when no factor can
be factored further.
Example Factor 5x4  3125.
Solution We have
5x4  3125 = 5(x4  625)
= 5[(x2)2  252]
= 5(x2  25)(x2 + 25)
= 5(x  5)(x + 5)(x2 + 25)
The factorization is 5(x  5)(x + 5)(x2 + 25).