You can put this solution on YOUR website! Simplify: This trinomial can be factored.
The factors will take the form: (x+m)(x+n) where m and n must meet the follwing restrictions:
m*n = -80 and
m+n = 2
How do we know this?
Well, when you multiply the two factors, you should get back the original trinomial, right? Right!...so, usinf FOIL: = and if you compare this with the original trinomial, you can see that:
m+n = 2 and
m*n = -80
Since the sum of m and n is quite small (2), this would indicate that the absolute values of m and n are are very close to each other.
A wise choice would be:
m = 10 and n = -8 or
m = -10 and n = 8
because both of their products are -80.
Select the pair whose sum is 2, that has to be m = 10 and n = -8.
So, now you can write:
(