document.write( "Question 115532: Will someone please help me solve this problem? It says factor:x^2+5x-36 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #84090 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at \"x%5E2%2B5x-36\" we can see that the first term is \"x%5E2\" and the last term is \"-36\" where the coefficients are 1 and -36 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 1 and the last coefficient -36 to get -36. Now what two numbers multiply to -36 and add to the middle coefficient 5? Let's list all of the factors of -36:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of -36:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,2,3,4,6,9,12,18\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( "(-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
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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 5? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to 5\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
1-361+(-36)=-35
2-182+(-18)=-16
3-123+(-12)=-9
4-94+(-9)=-5
-136-1+36=35
-218-2+18=16
-312-3+12=9
-49-4+9=5
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From this list we can see that -4 and 9 add up to 5 and multiply to -36\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the expression \"x%5E2%2B5x-36\", replace \"5x\" with \"-4x%2B9x\" (notice \"-4x%2B9x\" adds up to \"5x\". So it is equivalent to \"5x\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-4x%2B9x%29%2B-36\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's factor \"x%5E2-4x%2B9x-36\" by grouping:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%5E2-4x%29%2B%289x-36%29\" Group like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%28x-4%29%2B9%28x-4%29\" Factor out the GCF of \"x\" out of the first group. Factor out the GCF of \"9\" out of the second group\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%2B9%29%28x-4%29\" Since we have a common term of \"x-4\", we can combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"x%5E2-4x%2B9x-36\" factors to \"%28x%2B9%29%28x-4%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this also means that \"x%5E2%2B5x-36\" factors to \"%28x%2B9%29%28x-4%29\" (since \"x%5E2%2B5x-36\" is equivalent to \"x%5E2-4x%2B9x-36\")\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%2B5x-36\" factors to \"%28x%2B9%29%28x-4%29\"\r
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