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6.5E: Exercises

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Practice Makes Perfect

Recognize and Use the Appropriate Method to Factor a Polynomial Completely

In the following exercises, factor completely.

1. 2n2+13n7

Answer

(2n1)(n+7)

2. 8x29x3

3. a5+9a3

Answer

a3(a2+9)

4. 75m3+12m

5. 121r2s2

Answer

(11rs)(11r+s)

6. 49b236a2

7. 8m232

Answer

8(m2)(m+2)

8. 36q2100

9. 25w260w+36

Answer

(5w6)2

10. 49b2112b+64

11. m2+14mn+49n2

Answer

(m+7n)2

12. 64x2+16xy+y2

13. 7b2+7b42

Answer

7(b+3)(b2)

14. 30n2+30n+72

15. 3x4y81xy

Answer

3xy(x3)(x2+3x+9)

16. 4x5y32x2y

17. k416

Answer

(k2)(k+2)(k2+4)

18. m481

19. 5x5y280xy2

Answer

5xy2(x2+4)(x+2)(x2)

20. 48x5y2243xy2

21. 15pq15p+12q12

Answer

3(5p+4)(q1)

22. 12ab6a+10b5

23. 4x2+40x+84

Answer

4(x+3)(x+7)

24. 5q215q90

25. 4u5v+4u2v3

Answer

u2(u+1)(u2u+1)

26. 5m4n+320mn4

27. 4c2+20cd+81d2

Answer

prime

28. 25x2+35xy+49y2

29. 10m46250

Answer

10(m5)(m+5)(m2+25)

30. 3v4768

31. 36x2y+15xy6y

Answer

3y(3x+2)(4x1)

32. 60x2y75xy+30y

33. 8x327y3

Answer

(2x3y)(4x2+6xy+9y2)

34. 64x3+125y3

35. y61

Answer

(y+1)(y1)(y2y+1)

36. y6+1

37. 9x26xy+y249

Answer

(3xy+7)(3xy7)

38. 16x224xy+9y264

39. (3x+1)26(3x1)+9

Answer

(3x2)2

40. (4x5)27(4x5)+12

Writing Exercises

41. Explain what it mean to factor a polynomial completely.

Answer

Answers will vary.

42. The difference of squares y4625 can be factored as (y225)(y2+25). But it is not completely factored. What more must be done to completely factor.

43. Of all the factoring methods covered in this chapter (GCF, grouping, undo FOIL, ‘ac’ method, special products) which is the easiest for you? Which is the hardest? Explain your answers.

Answer

Answers will vary.

44. Create three factoring problems that would be good test questions to measure your knowledge of factoring. Show the solutions.

Self Check

a. After completing the exercises, use this checklist to evaluate your mastery of the objectives of this section.

This table has 4 columns, 1 row and a header row. The header row labels each column: I can, confidently, with some help and no, I don’t get it. The first column has the following statement: recognize and use the appropriate method to factor a polynomial completely. The remaining columns are blank.

b. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your mastery of this section in light of your responses on the checklist? How can you improve this?


This page titled 6.5E: Exercises is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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