document.write( "Question 117273: Factor completely. 15x^2 – 21x + 6 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #85299 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
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Given to factor:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"15x%5E2-21x%2B2\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Notice first that each of the numbers in the three terms is divisible by 3, so the factor 3
\n" ); document.write( "can be removed. This results in:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"3%2A%285x%5E2+-+7x+%2B+2%29\"
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\n" ); document.write( "So now let's concentrate on factoring the terms inside the parentheses. Note that \"5x%5E2\" can
\n" ); document.write( "only be factored into \"5x%2Ax\". Therefore, if the trinomial in the parentheses can be
\n" ); document.write( "factored, the factors will be of the form:
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\n" ); document.write( "(5x ______)*(x _____)
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\n" ); document.write( "Next notice that the last term in the trinomial is +2. It's factors can only be +2 and +1 or
\n" ); document.write( "-2 and -1 because they must multiply together to give +2. Since the middle term of the
\n" ); document.write( "trinomial is -7 we have to have minuses in the factors of the trinomial. So we assume that
\n" ); document.write( "the factors of +2 that we will use are -2 and -1. This leaves two possibilities:
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\n" ); document.write( "(5x - 1)*(x - 2)
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\n" ); document.write( "or
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\n" ); document.write( "(5x - 2)*(x - 1)
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\n" ); document.write( "When you multiply out the (5x - 1)*(x - 2) you get \"5x%5E2+-10x+-+x+%2B+2\" which reduces to
\n" ); document.write( "\"5x%5E2+-+11x+%2B+2\" so this combination does not work.
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\n" ); document.write( "When you multiply out the (5x - 2)*(x - 1) you get \"5x%5E2+-+5x+-+2x+%2B+2\" and this does reduce
\n" ); document.write( "to \"5x%5E2+-7x+%2B2\", just as we need.
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\n" ); document.write( "So now we can say that the given:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"15x%5E2+-+21x%2B2\"
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\n" ); document.write( "factors to:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"3%2A%285x+-+2%29%2A%28x+-+1%29\"
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\n" ); document.write( "None of the expressions inside the parentheses can be factored, so this is the final answer.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps to see how the given trinomial can be factored using a \"logical\" analysis and
\n" ); document.write( "a little bit of trial.
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