document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=137873>Question 137873</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> can you please factor this problem for me and show how it is done:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x squared + 6x - 72 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #100777 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><B>Fombitz(32388)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Fombitz><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=100777\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2Ba%29%28x%2Bb%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2Ba%29%28x%2Bb%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "a and b are constants that solve these equations.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=ab=-72 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"ab=-72\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2Bb=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2Bb=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "First, look at factors of 72.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1,72<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2,36<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3,24<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4,18<BR>\n" );
document.write( "6,12<BR>\n" );
document.write( "8,9<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then look for combinations of the factors where the sum or difference might be 6.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "6 and 12 look like a good bet. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now we can match the sign (positive or negative) of each factor to solve the two equations.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since the product is -72, one of the factors is negative. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since the sum is positive, the smaller number (6) must be negative.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a=12 and b=-6 meets all of our criteria.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2Ba%29%28x%2Bb%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2Ba%29%28x%2Bb%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2B12%29%28x-6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%5E2%2B6x-72=%28x%2B12%29%28x-6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
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