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  • Algebra - Factoring Polynomials

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    Leon Mathaios
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    The document discusses factoring polynomials, which is an important topic in algebra. Factoring polynomials involves determining the terms that were multiplied together to get the given polynomial expression and then factoring each term as much as possible. The greatest common factor method is described as the first technique for factoring polynomials, which involves identifying any common factors and factoring them out of each term using the distributive property in reverse. Examples of completely factoring polynomials and identifying terms that still need further factoring are provided.

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    Algebra - Factoring Polynomials

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    The document discusses factoring polynomials, which is an important topic in algebra. Factoring polynomials involves determining the terms that were multiplied together to get the given polynomial expression and then factoring each term as much as possible. The greatest common factor method is described as the first technique for factoring polynomials, which involves identifying any common factors and factoring them out of each term using the distributive property in reverse. Examples of completely factoring polynomials and identifying terms that still need further factoring are provided.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    30 views1 page

    Algebra - Factoring Polynomials

    Uploaded by

    Leon Mathaios
    The document discusses factoring polynomials, which is an important topic in algebra. Factoring polynomials involves determining the terms that were multiplied together to get the given polynomial expression and then factoring each term as much as possible. The greatest common factor method is described as the first technique for factoring polynomials, which involves identifying any common factors and factoring them out of each term using the distributive property in reverse. Examples of completely factoring polynomials and identifying terms that still need further factoring are provided.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    5/23/2017 AlgebraFactoringPolynomials

    FactoringPolynomials
    Ofallthetopicscoveredinthischapterfactoringpolynomialsisprobablythemostimportanttopic.There
    aremanysectionsinlaterchapterswherethefirststepwillbetofactorapolynomial.So,ifyoucantfactor
    thepolynomialthenyouwontbeabletoevenstarttheproblemletalonefinishit.

    Letsstartoutbytalkingalittlebitaboutjustwhatfactoringis.Factoringistheprocessbywhichwego
    aboutdeterminingwhatwemultipliedtogetthegivenquantity.Wedothisallthetimewithnumbers.For
    instance,hereareavarietyofwaystofactor12.


    Therearemanymorepossiblewaystofactor12,butthesearerepresentativeofmanyofthem.

    Acommonmethodoffactoringnumbersistocompletelyfactorthenumberintopositiveprimefactors.
    Aprimenumberisanumberwhoseonlypositivefactorsare1anditself.Forexample2,3,5,and7areall
    examplesofprimenumbers.Examplesofnumbersthatarentprimeare4,6,and12topickafew.

    Ifwecompletelyfactoranumberintopositiveprimefactorstherewillonlybeonewayofdoingit.Thatis
    thereasonforfactoringthingsinthisway.Forourexampleabovewith12thecompletefactorizationis,


    Factoringpolynomialsisdoneinprettymuchthesamemanner.Wedetermineallthetermsthatwere
    multipliedtogethertogetthegivenpolynomial.Wethentrytofactoreachofthetermswefoundinthefirst
    step.Thiscontinuesuntilwesimplycantfactoranymore.Whenwecantdoanymorefactoringwewill
    saythatthepolynomialiscompletelyfactored.

    Hereareacoupleofexamples.

    Thisiscompletelyfactoredsinceneitherofthetwofactorsontherightcanbefurtherfactored.

    Likewise,

    isnotcompletelyfactoredbecausethesecondfactorcanbefurtherfactored.Notethatthefirstfactoris
    completelyfactoredhowever.Hereisthecompletefactorizationofthispolynomial.


    Thepurposeofthissectionistofamiliarizeourselveswithmanyofthetechniquesforfactoringpolynomials.


    GreatestCommonFactor
    Thefirstmethodforfactoringpolynomialswillbefactoringoutthegreatestcommonfactor.When
    factoringingeneralthiswillalsobethefirstthingthatweshouldtryasitwilloftensimplifytheproblem.

    Tousethismethodallthatwedoislookatallthetermsanddetermineifthereisafactorthatisincommon
    toalltheterms.Ifthereis,wewillfactoritoutofthepolynomial.Alsonotethatinthiscasewearereally
    onlyusingthedistributivelawinreverse.Rememberthatthedistributivelawstatesthat

    Infactoringoutthegreatestcommonfactorwedothisinreverse.Wenoticethateachtermhasanainitand
    sowefactoritoutusingthedistributivelawinreverseasfollows,

    http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/Alg/Factoring.aspx 1/1

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