document.write( "Question 694634: 9x^2-36x+36 factored \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #428098 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"9x%5E2-36x%2B36\" Start with the given expression.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"9%28x%5E2-4x%2B4%29\" Factor out the GCF \"9\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's try to factor the inner expression \"x%5E2-4x%2B4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at the expression \"x%5E2-4x%2B4\", we can see that the first coefficient is \"1\", the second coefficient is \"-4\", and the last term is \"4\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient \"1\" by the last term \"4\" to get \"%281%29%284%29=4\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to \"4\" (the previous product) and add to the second coefficient \"-4\"?\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "To find these two numbers, we need to list all of the factors of \"4\" (the previous product).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of \"4\":\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,2,4\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-2,-4\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: list the negative of each factor. 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 \"4\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*4 = 4
\n" ); document.write( "2*2 = 4
\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(-4) = 4
\n" ); document.write( "(-2)*(-2) = 4\r
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\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 \"-4\":\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
141+4=5
222+2=4
-1-4-1+(-4)=-5
-2-2-2+(-2)=-4
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From the table, we can see that the two numbers \"-2\" and \"-2\" add to \"-4\" (the middle coefficient).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the two numbers \"-2\" and \"-2\" both multiply to \"4\" and add to \"-4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now replace the middle term \"-4x\" with \"-2x-2x\". Remember, \"-2\" and \"-2\" add to \"-4\". So this shows us that \"-2x-2x=-4x\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-2x-2x%29%2B4\" Replace the second term \"-4x\" with \"-2x-2x\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%5E2-2x%29%2B%28-2x%2B4%29\" Group the terms into two pairs.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%28x-2%29%2B%28-2x%2B4%29\" Factor out the GCF \"x\" from the first group.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%28x-2%29-2%28x-2%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
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x-2%29%28x-2%29\" Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term \"x-2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x-2%29%5E2\" Condense the terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"9%28x%5E2-4x%2B4%29\" then factors further to \"9%28x-2%29%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"9x%5E2-36x%2B36\" completely factors to \"9%28x-2%29%5E2\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In other words, \"9x%5E2-36x%2B36=9%28x-2%29%5E2\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: you can check the answer by expanding \"9%28x-2%29%5E2\" to get \"9x%5E2-36x%2B36\" or by graphing the original expression and the answer (the two graphs should be identical).
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