We have learned various techniques for factoring polynomials with up to four terms. The challenge is to identify the type of polynomial and then decide which method to apply. The following outlines a general guideline for factoring
polynomials. General guidelines for factoring polynomials Step 1: Check for common factors. If the terms have common factors, then factor out the greatest common factor (GCF). Step 2: Determine the number of terms in the polynomial. Step 3: Look for factors that can be factored further. Step 4: Check by multiplying. We will first solve some equations by using the Zero Factor Property. The Zero Factor Property (also called the Zero Product Property) says that if the product of two quantities is zero, then at least one of those quantities is
zero. The only way to get a product equal to zero is to multiply by zero itself. Zero Factor Property If \(a·b=0\), then either \(a=0\) or \(b=0\) or both. For example, consider the equation \( (x - 3)(x - 2) = 0 \). According to the Zero Factor Property, this product can only be zero if one of the factors is zero. For this equation, the factors are \( (x-3) \) and \( (x-2) \). Factors are the expressions that are multiplied together to
form a \( \underline{\text{product}} \). \( (x - 3)(x - 2) = 0 \) These proposed solutions can be checked by substituting back in the original equation. \( \begin{align*} How to: Use the Zero Factor Property to Solve an Equation.
Example \(\PageIndex{1}\) Factor out a GCF Solve: \(2 x ^2 = 8x \). Solution. Notice that the first step requires one side of the equation to be made zero. If both sides of the equal sign instead were first divided by x, then only one solution \( x=4\) would have been found. Dividing by a variable expression can result in lost solutions! \(\begin{align*} Example \(\PageIndex{2}\) Factor four terms by grouping pairs Solve: \(4 x ^ { 3 } - x ^ { 2 } - 100 x + 25 = 0\). Solution \(\begin{align*} Example \(\PageIndex{3}\) Factor a trinomial (with a constant GCF and then \(a = 1\)) Solve: \(3x^2=12x+63\). Solution. This example highlights the essential first step of making one side of the equation zero before the Zero Factor Property is applied. Also, factoring produces three factors, but the first factor is a constant \( (3) \) which can never be equal to \( 0 \) \(\begin{align*} Example \(\PageIndex{4}\) Factor a trinomial (with \(a \ne 1\)) Solve: \(15 x ^ { 2 } + 3 x - 8 = 5 x - 7\). Solution \( \begin{array}{cl} Example \(\PageIndex{5}\) Factor a trinomial (with \(a \ne 1\)) Solve: \((3x−8)(x−1)=3x\). Solution. This quadratic equation appears to be factored; hence it might be tempting to set each factor equal to \(3x\). However, this would lead to incorrect results. We must first rewrite the equation equal to zero, so that we can apply the zero-product property \( \begin{array}{cccl} Example \(\PageIndex{6}\) Factor a difference of squares Solve: \(169q^2=49\). Solution \( \begin{array}{cccl} Example \(\PageIndex{7}\) Factor a perfect square trinomial (with a variable GCF) Solve: \(9m^3+100m=60m^2\) Solution \(\begin{array}{cl} Example \(\PageIndex{8}\) Factor four terms (the difference of a binomial square and a monomial square) Solve: \(4x^{2} + 36x + 81 = 100 x^2\). Solution \( \begin{array}{cl} Factoring using the sum or difference of cubes formula to solve an equation will be discussed in the next section that includes the Quadratic Formula and the Complete the Square technique. Try It \(\PageIndex{9}\) Solve each equation by factoring.
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