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Factoring Summary Worksheet

Factoring:
1) Factor out greatest common monomial factor

2) If there are 4 terms- try to factor by grouping.

3) Factor difference of perfect squares.

*(Sum of perfect squares is not factorable)

4) Factor trinomials of form x 2 + bx + c

5) Factor trinomials of form ax 2 + bx + c (by trial and error or by

grouping)

6) Factor sum or difference of perfect cubes:

u 3 + v 3 = (u + v)(u 2 - uv + v 2 )
u 3 - v 3 = (u - v)(u 2 + uv + v 2 )

*** Check each resulting factor to see if it can be factored.***

1) Factor out greatest common monomial factor.

(always do this first, if there is a common monomial factor)
a) find the largest monomial which divides evenly into all terms.
b) factor it out.

Example: Factor 15 x3 - 6 x 2 + 9 x
a) What is the greatest common monomial factor?

b) factor it out and write the factorization.

2) If there are 4 terms- try to factor by grouping. (note: this does not
always result in something which can be factored)

a) Group the first two terms together, and the last two terms together.
b) Factor the greatest common monomial factor out of each pair.
The greatest common monomial factor is usually different for each pair.
c) Factor the common binomial factor out and write the factorization.

Example: Factor 6 x 3 - 3 x 2 + 10 x - 5 by grouping.

a) group the first two terms and the last two terms

b) Factor the greatest common monomial factor out of each pair.

c) Factor the common binomial factor out and write the factorization.

3) Factor difference of perfect squares. (Sum of perfect squares is not

factorable)
a) write the factorization of a 2 x 2 - b 2 y 2 as ( ax + by ) ( ax - by )

Example: Factor 9 x 2 - 16
4) Factor trinomials of form x 2 + bx + c
Note: b and c might be negative
a) find two factors of c, (m and n), which add to b.
b) factor the trinomial into ( x + m)( x + n) ( m and/or n might be negative)

Example: Factor x 2 - 5 x + 6
a) find two factors of c which add to b

b) write the factorization

5) Factor trinomials of form ax 2 + bx + c

a) by trial and error: find two factors which multiply to give

expression
a) ( mx + p ) ( nx + q ) , where m and n are factors of a, and p and q are
factors of c. Also the middle term b must be correct when the binomials
are multiplied.

Example: Factor 3 x 2 + x - 10
a) factor into ( mx + p ) ( nx + q ) (educated trial and error)
1) find all combinations of factors m and n which multiply
to give 3

2) find all combinations of factors p and q which multiply to

give -10

3) try combinations and multiply out until you find one which
gives the correct middle term (b)
5) Factor trinomials of form ax 2 + bx + c

b) by grouping
a) multiply a times c
b) find two factors of a �
c which add to b (m and n)
c) rewrite expression as ax 2 + mx + nx + c or ax 2 + nx + mx + c
d) factor by grouping

Example: factor 3 x 2 + x - 10 by grouping

a) multiply a times c

b) what are two factors of a times c which add to b?

c) rewrite the expression as the sum of four terms

d) factor by grouping

6) Factor sum or difference of perfect cubes.

u 3 + v 3 = (u + v)(u 2 - uv + v 2 )
u 3 - v 3 = (u - v)(u 2 + uv + v 2 )

Example: Factor 8 x 3 + 27
a) let u = 3 8 x 3 , let v = 3 27 , then substitute into formula.

* Check each resulting factor to see if it can be factored more.