SOLUTION: I have a worksheet on "factoring trinomials using trail and error." I was doing fine until I came apon a set of questions that weren't like the others. For example, I was doing one

Algebra ->  Quadratic Equations and Parabolas -> SOLUTION: I have a worksheet on "factoring trinomials using trail and error." I was doing fine until I came apon a set of questions that weren't like the others. For example, I was doing one      Log On


   



Question 26934: I have a worksheet on "factoring trinomials using trail and error." I was doing fine until I came apon a set of questions that weren't like the others. For example, I was doing ones like: 2x^2+11x+15. I understand how to do ones like that but not ones like: 36a^2+60ab+25b^2. What is messing me up is that I don't know how to put the equation in descending order and that the middle number has two variables.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Well, one clue on factoring these kinds of polynomials is noticing that the first term36a%5E2 and last term25b%5E2 are perfect squares, so you could try this:A%5E2+%2B+2AB+%2B+B%5E2+=+%28A+%2B+B%29%28A+%2B+B%29
36a%5E2+%2B+60ab+%2B+25b%5E2+=+%286a+%2B+5b%29%286a+%2B+5b%29
Now, using the FOIL method, multiply these two factors:
%286a+%2B+5b%29%286a+%2B+5b%29+=+36a%5E2+%2B+30ab+%2B+30ab+%2B+25b%5E2 = 36a%5E2+%2B+60ab+%2B+25b%5E2
The factors are: %286a+%2B+5b%29%286a+%2B+5b%29