Question 57388: Factoring Trinomials by Trial and Error
6x^2-17x+10
Found 2 solutions by stanbon, funmath:
Answer by stanbon(75887)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! 6x^2-17x+10
Find two numbers whose product is 60 and whose sum in -17
Numbers are -5 and -12
=6x^2-5x-12x+10
=x(6x-5)-2(6x-5)
=(6x-5)(x-2)
Cheers,
Stan H.
Answer by funmath(2933) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Factoring Trinomials by Trial and Error
Trial and error is just what it sounds like, try different factors until you find one that works. There are more practical methods.
6x^2-17x+10
the factors of 6x^2 are:
6x*x, 2x*3x
Those are the possibilities for the first numbers in the parenthesis.
Since 10 is positive, we know that the signs of the factors have to be the same, since 17 is negative, we know that they both have to be negative because we have to add to get -17.
The possible factors of 10 for the second number in the parenthesis are:
-10*-1,-10*-1,-2*-5,-5*-2
You try all the combinations until you find one that works:
(6x-10)(x-1)=6x^2-6x-10x+10=6x^2-16x+10 ERROR
(6x-1)(x-10)=6x^2-60x-x+10=6x^2=61x+10 ERROR
(6x-5)(x-2)=6x^2-12x-5x+10=6x^2-17x+10 This is it!!!
Happy Calculating!!!
As you can see, unless you are good at working things out in your head this can take some time. Hopefully your teacher will start using a more methodical method if this isn't your thing.
|
|
|
