document.write( "Question 381215: 3x^2+5x-2 \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #270413 by jim_thompson5910(35256) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Do you want to factor this? If so, then...\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at the expression $\"3x%5E2%2B5x-2\"$ , we can see that the first coefficient is $\"3\"$ , the second coefficient is $\"5\"$ , and the last term is $\"-2\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient $\"3\"$ by the last term $\"-2\"$ to get $\"%283%29%28-2%29=-6\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to $\"-6\"$ (the previous product) and add to the second coefficient $\"5\"$ ?\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "To find these two numbers, we need to list all of the factors of $\"-6\"$ (the previous product).\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of $\"-6\"$ :\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,2,3,6\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-2,-3,-6\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: list the negative of each factor. This will allow us to find all possible combinations.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "These factors pair up and multiply to $\"-6\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*(-6) = -6
\n" ); document.write( "2*(-3) = -6
\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(6) = -6
\n" ); document.write( "(-2)*(3) = -6\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's add up each pair of factors to see if one pair adds to the middle coefficient $\"5\"$ :\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "

First Number	Second Number	Sum
1	-6	1+(-6)=-5
2	-3	2+(-3)=-1
-1	6	-1+6=5
-2	3	-2+3=1

\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From the table, we can see that the two numbers $\"-1\"$ and $\"6\"$ add to $\"5\"$ (the middle coefficient).\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the two numbers $\"-1\"$ and $\"6\"$ both multiply to $\"-6\"$ and add to $\"5\"$ \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now replace the middle term $\"5x\"$ with $\"-x%2B6x\"$ . Remember, $\"-1\"$ and $\"6\"$ add to $\"5\"$ . So this shows us that $\"-x%2B6x=5x\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"3x%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-x%2B6x%29-2\"$ Replace the second term $\"5x\"$ with $\"-x%2B6x\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%283x%5E2-x%29%2B%286x-2%29\"$ Group the terms into two pairs.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%283x-1%29%2B%286x-2%29\"$ Factor out the GCF $\"x\"$ from the first group.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%283x-1%29%2B2%283x-1%29\"$ Factor out $\"2\"$ 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.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x%2B2%29%283x-1%29\"$ Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term $\"3x-1\"$ \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "===============================================================\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So $\"3x%5E2%2B5x-2\"$ factors to $\"%28x%2B2%29%283x-1%29\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In other words, $\"3x%5E2%2B5x-2=%28x%2B2%29%283x-1%29\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: you can check the answer by expanding $\"%28x%2B2%29%283x-1%29\"$ to get $\"3x%5E2%2B5x-2\"$ or by graphing the original expression and the answer (the two graphs should be identical).\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If you need more help, email me at jim_thompson5910@hotmail.com\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Also, feel free to check out my tutoring website\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Jim \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );