Question 578581
I'm assuming you want to factor this.


{{{-80x^2-44x+180}}} Start with the given expression.



{{{-4(20x^2+11x-45)}}} Factor out the GCF {{{-4}}}.



Now let's try to factor the inner expression {{{20x^2+11x-45}}}



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Looking at the expression {{{20x^2+11x-45}}}, we can see that the first coefficient is {{{20}}}, the second coefficient is {{{11}}}, and the last term is {{{-45}}}.



Now multiply the first coefficient {{{20}}} by the last term {{{-45}}} to get {{{(20)(-45)=-900}}}.



Now the question is: what two whole numbers multiply to {{{-900}}} (the previous product) <font size=4><b>and</b></font> add to the second coefficient {{{11}}}?



To find these two numbers, we need to list <font size=4><b>all</b></font> of the factors of {{{-900}}} (the previous product).



Factors of {{{-900}}}:

1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,12,15,18,20,25,30,36,45,50,60,75,90,100,150,180,225,300,450,900

-1,-2,-3,-4,-5,-6,-9,-10,-12,-15,-18,-20,-25,-30,-36,-45,-50,-60,-75,-90,-100,-150,-180,-225,-300,-450,-900



Note: list the negative of each factor. This will allow us to find all possible combinations.



These factors pair up and multiply to {{{-900}}}.

1*(-900) = -900
2*(-450) = -900
3*(-300) = -900
4*(-225) = -900
5*(-180) = -900
6*(-150) = -900
9*(-100) = -900
10*(-90) = -900
12*(-75) = -900
15*(-60) = -900
18*(-50) = -900
20*(-45) = -900
25*(-36) = -900
30*(-30) = -900
(-1)*(900) = -900
(-2)*(450) = -900
(-3)*(300) = -900
(-4)*(225) = -900
(-5)*(180) = -900
(-6)*(150) = -900
(-9)*(100) = -900
(-10)*(90) = -900
(-12)*(75) = -900
(-15)*(60) = -900
(-18)*(50) = -900
(-20)*(45) = -900
(-25)*(36) = -900
(-30)*(30) = -900


Now let's add up each pair of factors to see if one pair adds to the middle coefficient {{{11}}}:



<table border="1"><th>First Number</th><th>Second Number</th><th>Sum</th><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>1</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-900</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>1+(-900)=-899</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>2</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-450</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>2+(-450)=-448</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>3</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-300</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>3+(-300)=-297</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>4</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-225</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>4+(-225)=-221</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>5</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-180</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>5+(-180)=-175</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>6</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-150</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>6+(-150)=-144</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>9</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-100</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>9+(-100)=-91</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>10</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-90</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>10+(-90)=-80</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>12</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-75</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>12+(-75)=-63</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>15</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-60</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>15+(-60)=-45</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>18</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-50</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>18+(-50)=-32</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>20</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-45</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>20+(-45)=-25</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>25</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-36</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>25+(-36)=-11</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>30</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-30</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>30+(-30)=0</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-1</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>900</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-1+900=899</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-2</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>450</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-2+450=448</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-3</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>300</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-3+300=297</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-4</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>225</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-4+225=221</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-5</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>180</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-5+180=175</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-6</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>150</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-6+150=144</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-9</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>100</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-9+100=91</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-10</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>90</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-10+90=80</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-12</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>75</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-12+75=63</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-15</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>60</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-15+60=45</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-18</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>50</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-18+50=32</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-20</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>45</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-20+45=25</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=red>-25</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=red>36</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=red>-25+36=11</font></td></tr><tr><td  align="center"><font color=black>-30</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>30</font></td><td  align="center"><font color=black>-30+30=0</font></td></tr></table>



From the table, we can see that the two numbers {{{-25}}} and {{{36}}} add to {{{11}}} (the middle coefficient).



So the two numbers {{{-25}}} and {{{36}}} both multiply to {{{-900}}} <font size=4><b>and</b></font> add to {{{11}}}



Now replace the middle term {{{11x}}} with {{{-25x+36x}}}. Remember, {{{-25}}} and {{{36}}} add to {{{11}}}. So this shows us that {{{-25x+36x=11x}}}.



{{{20x^2+highlight(-25x+36x)-45}}} Replace the second term {{{11x}}} with {{{-25x+36x}}}.



{{{(20x^2-25x)+(36x-45)}}} Group the terms into two pairs.



{{{5x(4x-5)+(36x-45)}}} Factor out the GCF {{{5x}}} from the first group.



{{{5x(4x-5)+9(4x-5)}}} Factor out {{{9}}} 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.



{{{(5x+9)(4x-5)}}} Combine like terms. Or factor out the common term {{{4x-5}}}



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So {{{-4(20x^2+11x-45)}}} then factors further to {{{-4(5x+9)(4x-5)}}}



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Answer:



So {{{-80x^2-44x+180}}} completely factors to {{{-4(5x+9)(4x-5)}}}.



In other words, {{{-80x^2-44x+180=-4(5x+9)(4x-5)}}}.



Note: you can check the answer by expanding {{{-4(5x+9)(4x-5)}}} to get {{{-80x^2-44x+180}}} or by graphing the original expression and the answer (the two graphs should be identical).