<PRE><B>Question 476851</B>


{{{12x^2-34x+24}}} Start with the given expression.



{{{2(6x^2-17x+12)}}} Factor out the GCF {{{2}}}.



Now let&#39;s try to factor the inner expression {{{6x^2-17x+12}}}



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Looking at the expression {{{6x^2-17x+12}}}, we can see that the first coefficient is {{{6}}}, the second coefficient is {{{-17}}}, and the last term is {{{12}}}.



Now multiply the first coefficient {{{6}}} by the last term {{{12}}} to get {{{(6)(12)=72}}}.



Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to {{{72}}} (the previous product) &lt;font size=4&gt;&lt;b&gt;and&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt; add to the second coefficient {{{-17}}}?



To find these two numbers, we need to list &lt;font size=4&gt;&lt;b&gt;all&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt; of the factors of {{{72}}} (the previous product).



Factors of {{{72}}}:

1,2,3,4,6,8,9,12,18,24,36,72

-1,-2,-3,-4,-6,-8,-9,-12,-18,-24,-36,-72



Note: list the negative of each factor. This will allow us to find all possible combinations.



These factors pair up and multiply to {{{72}}}.

1*72 = 72
2*36 = 72
3*24 = 72
4*18 = 72
6*12 = 72
8*9 = 72
(-1)*(-72) = 72
(-2)*(-36) = 72
(-3)*(-24) = 72
(-4)*(-18) = 72
(-6)*(-12) = 72
(-8)*(-9) = 72


Now let&#39;s add up each pair of factors to see if one pair adds to the middle coefficient {{{-17}}}:



&lt;table border=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;th&gt;First Number&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th&gt;Second Number&lt;/th&gt;&lt;th&gt;Sum&lt;/th&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;1&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;72&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;1+72=73&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;2&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;36&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;2+36=38&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;3&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;24&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;3+24=27&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;4&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;18&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;4+18=22&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;6&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;12&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;6+12=18&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;8&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;9&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;8+9=17&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-1&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-72&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-1+(-72)=-73&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-2&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-36&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-2+(-36)=-38&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-3&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-24&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-3+(-24)=-27&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-4&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-18&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-4+(-18)=-22&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-6&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-12&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=black&gt;-6+(-12)=-18&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=red&gt;-8&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=red&gt;-9&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td  align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;font color=red&gt;-8+(-9)=-17&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;



From the table, we can see that the two numbers {{{-8}}} and {{{-9}}} add to {{{-17}}} (the middle coefficient).



So the two numbers {{{-8}}} and {{{-9}}} both multiply to {{{72}}} &lt;font size=4&gt;&lt;b&gt;and&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt; add to {{{-17}}}



Now replace the middle term {{{-17x}}} with {{{-8x-9x}}}. Remember, {{{-8}}} and {{{-9}}} add to {{{-17}}}. So this shows us that {{{-8x-9x=-17x}}}.



{{{6x^2+highlight(-8x-9x)+12}}} Replace the second term {{{-17x}}} with {{{-8x-9x}}}.



{{{(6x^2-8x)+(-9x+12)}}} Group the terms into two pairs.



{{{2x(3x-4)+(-9x+12)}}} Factor out the GCF {{{2x}}} from the first group.



{{{2x(3x-4)-3(3x-4)}}} Factor out {{{3}}} from the second group. The goal of this step is to make the terms in the second parenthesis equal to the terms in the first parenthesis.



{{{(2x-3)(3x-4)}}} Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term {{{3x-4}}}



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So {{{2(6x^2-17x+12)}}} then factors further to {{{2(2x-3)(3x-4)}}}



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Answer:



So {{{12x^2-34x+24}}} completely factors to {{{2(2x-3)(3x-4)}}}.



In other words, {{{12x^2-34x+24=2(2x-3)(3x-4)}}}.



Note: you can check the answer by expanding {{{2(2x-3)(3x-4)}}} to get {{{12x^2-34x+24}}} or by graphing the original expression and the answer (the two graphs should be identical).
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