Question 324687: Factor the trinomial
s^2-9s+18
Thank you
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, jessica43:
Answer by Alan3354(69443)   (Show Source):
Answer by jessica43(140)  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Factoring a trinomial is the opposite of the FOIL method. The binomial factors will have this form:
(s A)(s B)
where A and B will be the factors of the third term (18). The factors of 18 are: 1, 2, 3, 6 , 9 and 18. So these are our possibilities of A and B: 1&18, 2&9, 3&6.
Now, we need to see what combination, when added, will equal -9 (since the second term is -9s.
We know that both numbers must be negative because when added they equal a negative number, but when multiplied, they equal a positive number. The only possibility is -6 and -3.
So your answer is:
(s-3)(s-6)
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