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is
un-multiplying,
so
in
order
to
understand
factoring,
it
is
helpful
to
understand
multiplying.
You
may
have
multiplied
using
the
“square”
method
in
Algebra
I,
let’s
review
that
method,
now.
To
multiply
( x − 3) ( x + 2 ) ,
for
instance,
we
will
do
the
following.
Draw
a
box,
divide
it
into
two
rows
and
two
columns
(since
each
thing
we’re
multiplying
has
two
parts.
Write
one
term
of
the
first
polynomial
over
each
box
across
the
top,
and
one
term
of
the
second
polynomial
in
next
to
each
box
down
the
side.
x
-‐3
x
2
Fill
out
each
cell
of
the
table
by
multiplying
the
two
things
above
and
next
to
that
cell.
x
-‐3
x
x2
2
x
-‐3
x
x2
-‐3x
2
x
-‐3
x
x2
-‐3x
2
2x
x
-‐3
x
x2
-‐3x
2
2x
-‐6
Add
up
what
you
wrote
in
each
cell,
and
that’s
the
product!
( x − 3) ( x + 2 ) = x 2 − 3x + 2x − 6 = x 2 − x − 6
You
can
multiply
things
with
more
terms
this
way,
too,
for
example
.
.
.
.
( 3x 2 + 2x − 5 −2x 2 + 1
)( )
Now,
when
you
draw
your
box,
divide
it
into
three
rows
and
two
columns,
since
one
of
the
things
you’re
multiplying
has
three
terms.
3x2
2x
-‐5
-‐2x2
1
And
fill
in
each
cell
like
before.
3x2
2x
-‐5
1 3x2 2x -‐5
And
add
everything
up!
( )( )
3x 2 + 2x − 5 −2x 2 + 1 = −6x 4 − 4x 3 + 10x 2 + 3x 2 + 2x − 5 = −6x 4 − 4x 3 + 13x 2 + 2x − 5
This
can
also
be
useful
to
help
you
factor
by
grouping,
but
it’s
not
quite
as
straightforward.
Instead
of
starting
with
the
factors
and
moving
to
the
terms,
we
are
going
to
start
with
the
terms
and
move
to
the
factors.
Take
something
like
6x 2 − 4x − 2 .
Let’s
split
the
middle
term
up,
like
before,
by
looking
for
factors
of
( 6 ) ( −2 ) = −12
that
add
to
-‐4
.
.
.
.
-‐6
and
2.
Re-‐write
the
original
equation
by
splitting
the
middle
term
up.
6x 2 − 4x − 2 = 6x 2 − 6x + 2x − 2
Start
with
our
2X2
table,
as
before,
and
put
the
terms
in
the
body
of
the
table.
6x 2 -‐6x
+2x -‐2
We
need
to
fill
in
the
margins
with
what
we
would’ve
multiplied
together
to
get
these
terms,
since
the
first
column
and
first
row
both
have
x’s
in
both
spots,
we
know
those
spots
on
the
edges
must
have
x’s.
x
x 6x 2 -‐6x
+2x -‐2
The
cells
in
the
first
row
also
both
have
a
6,
so
the
cell
along
the
edge
there
likely
has
a
6.
The
cells
on
the
bottom
row
both
have
a
two,
so
the
cell
along
the
edge
there
likely
has
a
2.
x
6x 6x 2 -‐6x
2 +2x -‐2
The
right
hand
column
is
negatives,
so
that
spot
along
the
edge
should
also
have
a
negative.
x
-‐1
6x 6x 2 -‐6x
2
+2x
-‐2
Check
each
cell,
can
I
get
what
is
in
that
cell
by
multiplying
the
terms
above
it
and
to
the
side
of
it?
Yup!
The
expressions
across
the
top
and
down
the
edge
are,
therefore,
the
factors.
6x 2 − 4x − 2 = ( x − 1) ( 6x + 2 ) .
Try
another
one,
5x 2 − 13x + 6 .
1. Find
factors
of
ac
that
add
to
b
2. Split
the
middle
term
up.
3. Fill
the
terms
in
in
the
body
of
the
table
4. Fill
in
the
spots
along
the
edges
by
looking
for
common
factors
in
each
row
and
column.
x
-‐2
5x
5x2
-‐10x
-‐3
-‐3x
6
5x 2 − 13x + 6 = ( 5x − 3) ( x − 2 )