Factoring Quads
Subject:
Algebra [1]
Tags:
Quadratics [3]
Factor x2 + 5x + 6.
I need to find factors of 6 that add up to 5. Since 6 can be written as the product of 2 and 3, and since 2 + 3 = 5, then I'll use 2 and 3. I know from multiplying polynomials that this quadratic is formed from multiplying two factors of the form "(x + m)(x + n)", for some numbers m and n. So I'll draw my parentheses, with an "x" in the front of each:
(x )(x )
Then I'll write in the two numbers that I found above:
(x + 2)(x + 3)
This is the answer: x2 + 5x + 6 = (x + 2)(x + 3)