SOLUTION: what is the factors of m^2-14m+48?

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Question 174852: what is the factors of m^2-14m+48?
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, jim_thompson5910:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
what is the factors of m^2-14m+48?
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You should figure it out, it's educational.

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Looking at the expression m%5E2-14m%2B48, we can see that the first coefficient is 1, the second coefficient is -14, and the last term is 48.


Now multiply the first coefficient 1 by the last term 48 to get %281%29%2848%29=48.


Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to 48 (the previous product) and add to the second coefficient -14?


To find these two numbers, we need to list all of the factors of 48 (the previous product).


Factors of 48:
1,2,3,4,6,8,12,16,24,48
-1,-2,-3,-4,-6,-8,-12,-16,-24,-48


Note: list the negative of each factor. This will allow us to find all possible combinations.


These factors pair up and multiply to 48.
1*48
2*24
3*16
4*12
6*8
(-1)*(-48)
(-2)*(-24)
(-3)*(-16)
(-4)*(-12)
(-6)*(-8)

Now let's add up each pair of factors to see if one pair adds to the middle coefficient -14:


First NumberSecond NumberSum
1481+48=49
2242+24=26
3163+16=19
4124+12=16
686+8=14
-1-48-1+(-48)=-49
-2-24-2+(-24)=-26
-3-16-3+(-16)=-19
-4-12-4+(-12)=-16
-6-8-6+(-8)=-14



From the table, we can see that the two numbers -6 and -8 add to -14 (the middle coefficient).


So the two numbers -6 and -8 both multiply to 48 and add to -14


Now replace the middle term -14m with -6m-8m. Remember, -6 and -8 add to -14. So this shows us that -6m-8m=-14m.


m%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-6m-8m%29%2B48 Replace the second term -14m with -6m-8m.


%28m%5E2-6m%29%2B%28-8m%2B48%29 Group the terms into two pairs.


m%28m-6%29%2B%28-8m%2B48%29 Factor out the GCF m from the first group.


m%28m-6%29-8%28m-6%29 Factor out 8 from the second group. The goal of this step is to make the terms in the second parenthesis equal to the terms in the first parenthesis.


%28m-8%29%28m-6%29 Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term m-6

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Answer:


So m%5E2-14m%2B48 factors to %28m-8%29%28m-6%29.


Note: you can check the answer by FOILing %28m-8%29%28m-6%29 to get m%5E2-14m%2B48 or by graphing the original expression and the answer (the two graphs should be identical).