document.write( "Question 118105: I need to learn how to factor completly\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #86208 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 \"3x%5E2%2B17x%2B10\" we can see that the first term is \"3x%5E2\" and the last term is \"10\" where the coefficients are 3 and 10 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 3 and the last coefficient 10 to get 30. Now what two numbers multiply to 30 and add to the middle coefficient 17? Let's list all of the factors of 30:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of 30:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-2,-3,-5,-6,-10,-15,-30 ...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 30\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1*30\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2*15\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "3*10\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "5*6\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(-30)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-2)*(-15)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-3)*(-10)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-5)*(-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 17? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to 17\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
1301+30=31
2152+15=17
3103+10=13
565+6=11
-1-30-1+(-30)=-31
-2-15-2+(-15)=-17
-3-10-3+(-10)=-13
-5-6-5+(-6)=-11
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From this list we can see that 2 and 15 add up to 17 and multiply to 30\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the expression \"3x%5E2%2B17x%2B10\", replace \"17x\" with \"2x%2B15x\" (notice \"2x%2B15x\" adds up to \"17x\". So it is equivalent to \"17x\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%5E2%2Bhighlight%282x%2B15x%29%2B10\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's factor \"3x%5E2%2B2x%2B15x%2B10\" by grouping:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%283x%5E2%2B2x%29%2B%2815x%2B10%29\" Group like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%283x%2B2%29%2B5%283x%2B2%29\" Factor out the GCF of \"x\" out of the first group. Factor out the GCF of \"5\" out of the second group\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%2B5%29%283x%2B2%29\" Since we have a common term of \"3x%2B2\", we can combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"3x%5E2%2B2x%2B15x%2B10\" factors to \"%28x%2B5%29%283x%2B2%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this also means that \"3x%5E2%2B17x%2B10\" factors to \"%28x%2B5%29%283x%2B2%29\" (since \"3x%5E2%2B17x%2B10\" is equivalent to \"3x%5E2%2B2x%2B15x%2B10\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"3x%5E2%2B17x%2B10\" factors to \"%28x%2B5%29%283x%2B2%29\"\r
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