document.write( "Question 114381: Factor completely.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "9x squared + 12xy + 4y squared - 25
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Algebra.Com's Answer #83218 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\"9x%5E2%2B12xy%2B4y%5E2-25\" Start with the given expression\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "First let's factor the trinomial \"9x%5E2%2B12xy%2B4y%5E2\":\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at \"9x%5E2%2B12xy%2B4y%5E2\" we can see that the first term is \"9x%5E2\" and the last term is \"4y%5E2\" where the coefficients are 9 and 4 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 9 and the last coefficient 4 to get 36. Now what two numbers multiply to 36 and add to the middle coefficient 12? Let's list all of the factors of 36:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of 36:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-2,-3,-4,-6,-9,-12,-18 ...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 36\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*36\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2*18\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "3*12\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "4*9\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "6*6\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(-36)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-2)*(-18)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-3)*(-12)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-4)*(-9)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-6)*(-6)\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 12? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to 12\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
1361+36=37
2182+18=20
3123+12=15
494+9=13
666+6=12
-1-36-1+(-36)=-37
-2-18-2+(-18)=-20
-3-12-3+(-12)=-15
-4-9-4+(-9)=-13
-6-6-6+(-6)=-12
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From this list we can see that 6 and 6 add up to 12 and multiply to 36\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the expression \"9x%5E2%2B12xy%2B4y%5E2\", replace \"12xy\" with \"6xy%2B6xy\" (notice \"6xy%2B6xy\" adds up to \"12xy\". So it is equivalent to \"12xy\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"9x%5E2%2Bhighlight%286xy%2B6xy%29%2B4y%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's factor \"9x%5E2%2B6xy%2B6xy%2B4y%5E2\" by grouping:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%289x%5E2%2B6xy%29%2B%286xy%2B4y%5E2%29\" Group like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%283x%2B2y%29%2B2y%283x%2B2y%29\" Factor out the GCF of \"3x\" out of the first group. Factor out the GCF of \"2y\" out of the second group\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%2B2y%29%283x%2B2y%29\" Since we have a common term of \"3x%2B2y\", we can combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"9x%5E2%2B12xy%2B4y%5E2\" factors to \"%283x%2B2y%29%283x%2B2y%29\" which is also \"%283x%2B2y%29%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So we then get\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%2B2y%29%5E2-25\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%2B2y%29%5E2-5%5E2\" Now write 25 as \"5%5E2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%2B2y%2B5%29%283x%2B2y-5%29\" Now factor using the difference of squares\r
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