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6.2E: Exercises

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Practice Makes Perfect

Factor Trinomials of the Form x2+bx+c

In the following exercises, factor each trinomial of the form x2+bx+c.

1. p2+11p+30

Answer

(p+5)(p+6)

2. w2+10w+21

3. n2+19n+48

Answer

(n+3)(n+16)

4. b2+14b+48

5. a2+25a+100

Answer

(a+5)(a+20)

6. u2+101u+100

7. x28x+12

Answer

(x2)(x6)

8. q213q+36

9. y218y+45

Answer

(y3)(y15)

10. m213m+30

11. x28x+7

Answer

(x1)(x7)

12. y25y+6

13. 5p6+p2

Answer

(p1)(p+6)

14. 6n7+n2

15. 86x+x2

Answer

(x4)(x2)

16. 7x+x2+6

17. x21211x

Answer

(x12)(x+1)

18. 1110x+x2

In the following exercises, factor each trinomial of the form x2+bxy+cy2.

19. x22xy80y2

Answer

(x+8y)(x10y)

20. p28pq65q2

21. m264mn65n2

Answer

(m+n)(m65n)

22. p22pq35q2

23. a2+5ab24b2

Answer

(a+8b)(a3b)

24. r2+3rs28s2

25. x23xy14y2

Answer

Prime

26. u28uv24v2

27. m25mn+30n2

Answer

Prime

28. c27cd+18d2

Factor Trinomials of the Form ax2+bx+c Using Trial and Error

In the following exercises, factor completely using trial and error.

29. p38p220p

Answer

p(p10)(p+2)

30. q35q224q

31. 3m321m2+30m

Answer

3m(m5)(m2)

32. 11n355n2+44n

33. 5x4+10x375x2

Answer

5x2(x3)(x+5)

34. 6y4+12y348y2

35. 2t2+7t+5

Answer

(2t+5)(t+1)

36. 5y2+16y+11

37. 11x2+34x+3

Answer

(11x+1)(x+3)

38. 7b2+50b+7

39. 4w25w+1

Answer

(4w1)(w1)

40. 5x217x+6

41. 4q27q2

Answer

(4q+1)(q2)

42. 10y253y111

43. 6p219pq+10q2

Answer

(2p5q)(3p2q)

44. 21m229mn+10n2

45. 4a2+17ab15b2

Answer

(4a3b)(a+5b)

46. 6u2+5uv14v2

47. 16x232x16

Answer

16(x+1)(x+1)

48. 81a2+153a+18

49. 30q3140q280q

Answer

10q(3q+2)(q+4)

50. 5y330y2+35y

Factor Trinomials of the Form ax2+bx+c using the ‘ac’ Method

In the following exercises, factor using the ‘ac’ method.

51. 5n2+21n+4

Answer

(5n+1)(n+4)

52. 8w2+25w+3

53. 4k216k+15

Answer

(2k3)(2k5)

54. 5s29s+4

55. 6y2+y15

Answer

(3y+5)(2y3)

56. 6p2+p22

57. 2n227n45

Answer

(2n+3)(n15)

58. 12z241z11

59. 60y2+290y50

Answer

10(6y1)(y+5)

60. 6u246u16

61. 48z3102z245z

Answer

3z(8z+3)(2z5)

62. 90n3+42n2216n

63. 16s2+40s+24

Answer

8(2s+3)(s+1)

64. 24p2+160p+96

65. 48y2+12y36

Answer

12(4y3)(y+1)

66. 30x2+105x60

Factor Using Substitution

In the following exercises, factor using substitution.

67. x4x212

Answer

(x2+3)(x24)

68. x4+2x28

69. x43x228

Answer

(x27)(x2+4)

70. x413x230

71. (x3)25(x3)36

Answer

(x12)(x+1)

72. (x2)23(x2)54

73. (3y2)2(3y2)2

Answer

(3y4)(3y1)

74. (5y1)23(5y1)18

Mixed Practice

In the following exercises, factor each expression using any method.

75. u212u+36

Answer

(u6)(u6)

76. x214x32

77. r220rs+64s2

Answer

(r4s)(r16s)

78. q229qr96r2

79. 12y229y+14

Answer

(4y7)(3y2)

80. 12x2+36y24z

81. 6n2+5n4

Answer

(2n1)(3n+4)

82. 3q2+6q+2

83. 13z2+39z26

Answer

13(z2+3z2)

84. 5r2+25r+30

85. 3p2+21p

Answer

3p(p+7)

86. 7x221x

87. 6r2+30r+36

Answer

6(r+2)(r+3)

88. 18m2+15m+3

89. 24n2+20n+4

Answer

4(2n+1)(3n+1)

90. 4a2+5a+2

91. x44x212

Answer

(x2+2)(x26)

92. x47x28

93. (x+3)29(x+3)36

Answer

(x9)(x+6)

94. (x+2)225(x+2)54

Writing Exercises

95. Many trinomials of the form x2+bx+c factor into the product of two binomials (x+m)(x+n). Explain how you find the values of m and n.

Answer

Answers will vary.

96. Tommy factored x2x20 as (x+5)(x4). Sara factored it as (x+4)(x5). Ernesto factored it as (x5)(x4). Who is correct? Explain why the other two are wrong.

97. List, in order, all the steps you take when using the “ac” method to factor a trinomial of the form ax2+bx+c.

Answer

Answers will vary.

98. How is the “ac” method similar to the “undo FOIL” method? How is it different?

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, 4 rows 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 statements: factor trinomials of the form x squared plus bx plus c, factor trinomials of the form a x squared plus b x plus c using trial and error, factor trinomials of the form a x squared plus bx plus c with using the “ac” method, factor using substitution.

b. After reviewing this checklist, what will you do to become confident for all objectives?


This page titled 6.2E: Exercises is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax.

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