document.write( "Question 783438: How do you factor x*x +6x+12 ? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #476789 by jim_thompson5910(35256) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at the expression $\"x%5E2%2B6x%2B12\"$ , we can see that the first coefficient is $\"1\"$ , the second coefficient is $\"6\"$ , and the last term is $\"12\"$ .\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient $\"1\"$ by the last term $\"12\"$ to get $\"%281%29%2812%29=12\"$ .\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to $\"12\"$ (the previous product) and add to the second coefficient $\"6\"$ ?\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 $\"12\"$ (the previous product).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of $\"12\"$ :\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,2,3,4,6,12\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-2,-3,-4,-6,-12\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 $\"12\"$ .\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*12 = 12
\n" ); document.write( "2*6 = 12
\n" ); document.write( "3*4 = 12
\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(-12) = 12
\n" ); document.write( "(-2)*(-6) = 12
\n" ); document.write( "(-3)*(-4) = 12\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 $\"6\"$ :\r
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First Number	Second Number	Sum
1	12	1+12=13
2	6	2+6=8
3	4	3+4=7
-1	-12	-1+(-12)=-13
-2	-6	-2+(-6)=-8
-3	-4	-3+(-4)=-7

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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From the table, we can see that there are no pairs of numbers which add to $\"6\"$ . So $\"x%5E2%2B6x%2B12\"$ cannot be factored.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So $\"x%5E2%2B6x%2B12\"$ doesn't factor at all (over the rational numbers).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So $\"x%5E2%2B6x%2B12\"$ is prime.
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