document.write( "Question 119782: Can -4w(w^2+4w-5) be factored? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #87776 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "Now let's focus on the inner expression \"w%5E2%2B4w-5\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Looking at \"w%5E2%2B4w-5\" we can see that the first term is \"w%5E2\" and the last term is \"-5\" where the coefficients are 1 and -5 respectively.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now multiply the first coefficient 1 and the last coefficient -5 to get -5. Now what two numbers multiply to -5 and add to the middle coefficient 4? Let's list all of the factors of -5:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Factors of -5:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1,5\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-1,-5 ...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 -5\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1)*(-5)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(-1)*(5)\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 4? Lets make a table of all of the pairs of factors we multiplied and see which two numbers add to 4\r
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First NumberSecond NumberSum
1-51+(-5)=-4
-15-1+5=4
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From this list we can see that -1 and 5 add up to 4 and multiply to -5\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now looking at the expression \"w%5E2%2B4w-5\", replace \"4w\" with \"-1w%2B5w\" (notice \"-1w%2B5w\" adds up to \"4w\". So it is equivalent to \"4w\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"w%5E2%2Bhighlight%28-1w%2B5w%29%2B-5\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's factor \"w%5E2-1w%2B5w-5\" by grouping:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28w%5E2-1w%29%2B%285w-5%29\" Group like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"w%28w-1%29%2B5%28w-1%29\" Factor out the GCF of \"w\" 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( "\"%28w%2B5%29%28w-1%29\" Since we have a common term of \"w-1\", we can combine like terms\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"w%5E2-1w%2B5w-5\" factors to \"%28w%2B5%29%28w-1%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So this also means that \"w%5E2%2B4w-5\" factors to \"%28w%2B5%29%28w-1%29\" (since \"w%5E2%2B4w-5\" is equivalent to \"w%5E2-1w%2B5w-5\")\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-4w%28w%2B5%29%28w-1%29\" Now reintroduce the outer term \"-4w\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So \"-4w%28w%5E2%2B4w-5%29\" factors to \"-4w%28w%2B5%29%28w-1%29\"\r
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