document.write( "Question 143549: x^2-2xy-15y^2
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Algebra.Com's Answer #104468 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Do you want to factor?\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I'll do the first two to get you started\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "# 1\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at \"1x%5E2-2xy-15y%5E2\" we can see that the first term is \"1x%5E2\" and the last term is \"-15y%5E2\" where the coefficients are 1 and -15 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 1 and the last coefficient -15 to get -15. Now what two numbers multiply to -15 and add to the middle coefficient -2? Let's list all of the factors of -15:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of -15:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,3,5,15\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-3,-5,-15 ...List the negative factors as well. This will allow us to find all possible combinations\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "These factors pair up and multiply to -15\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1)*(-15)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(3)*(-5)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(15)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-3)*(5)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "note: remember, the product of a negative and a positive number is a negative number\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now which of these pairs add to -2? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to -2\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
1-151+(-15)=-14
3-53+(-5)=-2
-115-1+15=14
-35-3+5=2
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From this list we can see that 3 and -5 add up to -2 and multiply to -15\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the expression \"1x%5E2-2xy-15y%5E2\", replace \"-2xy\" with \"3xy%2B-5xy\" (notice \"3xy%2B-5xy\" adds up to \"-2xy\". So it is equivalent to \"-2xy\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"1x%5E2%2Bhighlight%283xy%2B-5xy%29%2B-15y%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's factor \"1x%5E2%2B3xy-5xy-15y%5E2\" by grouping:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%281x%5E2%2B3xy%29%2B%28-5xy-15y%5E2%29\" Group like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%28x%2B3y%29-5y%28x%2B3y%29\" Factor out the GCF of \"x\" out of the first group. Factor out the GCF of \"-5y\" out of the second group\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x-5y%29%28x%2B3y%29\" Since we have a common term of \"x%2B3y\", we can combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"1x%5E2%2B3xy-5xy-15y%5E2\" factors to \"%28x-5y%29%28x%2B3y%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this also means that \"1x%5E2-2xy-15y%5E2\" factors to \"%28x-5y%29%28x%2B3y%29\" (since \"1x%5E2-2xy-15y%5E2\" is equivalent to \"1x%5E2%2B3xy-5xy-15y%5E2\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Answer:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"x%5E2-2xy-15y%5E2\" factors to \"%28x-5y%29%28x%2B3y%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "# 2\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at \"x%5E2%2Bx%2B1\" we can see that the first term is \"x%5E2\" and the last term is \"1\" where the coefficients are 1 and 1 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 1 and the last coefficient 1 to get 1. Now what two numbers multiply to 1 and add to the middle coefficient 1? Let's list all of the factors of 1:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of 1:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1 ...List the negative factors as well. This will allow us to find all possible combinations\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "These factors pair up and multiply to 1\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*1\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(-1)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "note: remember two negative numbers multiplied together make a positive number\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now which of these pairs add to 1? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to 1\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
111+1=2
-1-1-1+(-1)=-2
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "None of these pairs of factors add to 1. So the expression \"x%5E2%2Bx%2B1\" cannot be factored
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