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ADVANCED FACTORING
I NTRODUCTION
W e can now factor lots of quadratic binomials (like 4x 2 9) and tri-
nomials (like n 2 + 10n + 21). Sorry to tell you this, but we’re not
done with factoring just yet. In this chapter, we learn how to factor
expressions with the exponent 4 in them, expressions containing four
terms, and expressions containing GCFs you might never have seen
before.
F ACTORING Q UARTICS
EXAMPLE 1: Factor each quartic (4th degree) polynomial:
A. c 4 256
= (c 2 + 16)(c 2 16) (difference of squares)
= (c 2 + 16)(c + 4)(c 4) (difference of squares again)
Note: c 2 + 16 cannot be factored any further.
B. 9a 4 37a 2 + 4
= (9a 2 1)(a 2 4) (factor trinomial)
Now we notice that each factor is quadratic and is the
difference of two squares. Therefore, each factor can
be factored further to get a final answer consisting of
four factors
(3a + 1)(3a 1)(a + 2)(a 2)
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Homework
1. Factor each quartic polynomial:
a. x 4 1 b. x 4 x 2 6
c. n 4 10n 2 + 9 d. a 4 81
e. 36w 4 25w 2 + 4 f. 9x 4 34x 2 + 25
g. c 4 16 h. x 4 8x 2 9
i. x 4 3x 2 10 j. g 4 256
k. 36u 4 85u 2 + 9 l. y 4 + 81
T HE GCF R EVISITED
EXAMPLE 2: Factor: (a + b) 2 + 4(a + b)
Solution: There are two terms in this expression: (a + b) 2 and
4(a + b). Notice that each of these two terms contains the same
factor, namely a + b. In other words, the GCF of the two terms is
a + b. Factoring out this GCF gives us the final factored form, a
single term consisting of two factors:
(a + b)(a + b + 4)
The thing not to do in this kind of problem is to distribute the
original expression; if you do, you’ll be going in the wrong
direction. Check it out:
(a + b) 2 + 4(a + b) = a 2 + 2ab + b 2 + 4a + 4b
Do you really want to try to factor that last expression?
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So, when you see an expression, like a + b in this problem,
occurring multiple times in an expression, it’s usually best to
leave it intact. Also notice that we have converted a 2-termed
expression into 1 term -- we have factored.
Alternate Method: Let’s try a substitution method. We might be
able to better see the essence of the problem if we replace a + b
with a simpler symbol -- for example, x will represent a + b. Then
the original expression
(a + b) 2 + 4(a + b)
is transformed into
x 2 + 4x
The GCF in this form is clearly x, so we pull it out in front:
x(x + 4)
Now substitute in the reverse direction, to get a + b back in the
problem:
(a + b)(a + b + 4) (the same answer as before)
EXAMPLE 3: Factor: x 2 (u w) 100(u w)
Solution: The two given terms have a GCF of u w. Factoring
this GCF out gives
(u w)(x 2 100)
But we’re not done yet. The second factor is a difference of
squares. Factoring that part gives us our final factorization:
(u w)(x + 10)(x 10)
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EXAMPLE 4: Factor: w 2 (x + z) 4w(x + z) + 3(x + z)
Solution: Let’s use substitution to make this expression appear
a little less intimidating; we’ll convert every occurrence of x + z to
the symbol A:
w 2 A 4wA + 3A
Pulling out the GCF of A, we get
A(w 2 4w + 3)
Factor the trinomial in the usual way:
A(w 3)(w 1)
Last, replace the A with its original definition of x + z:
(x + z)(w 3)(w 1)
Homework
2. Factor each expression:
a. (x + y) 2 + 7(x + y) b. (a b) 2 c(a b)
c. x 2 (c + d) + 5(c + d) d. n 2 (a b) 9(a b)
e. x 2 (a + 4) + 5x(a + 4) + 6(a + 4) f. y 2 (m + n) + 7y(m + n)
g. 2x 2 (a + b) + 3x(a + b) 5(a + b) h. 4x 2 (w + z) 9(w + z)
i. (u w) 2 9(u w) j. n 2 (a + b) 9n(a + b)
k. (t + r)y 2 100(t + r) l. 3ax 2 20ax 7a
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G ROUPING WITH F OUR T ERMS
EXAMPLE 5: Factor: a 2 + ac + ab + bc
Solution: Group the first two terms and the last two terms:
(a2 ac) (ab bc)
Now factor each pair of grouped terms separately (using the GCF
in each pair) :
a(a + c) + b(a + c) (notice that the GCF is a + c)
Even though we’ve grouped and factored, we can’t be done
because there are still two terms, and we need one term in the
final answer to a factoring question. So we continue -- using our
knowledge of the previous section -- and factor out the GCF,
which is a + c:
(a + c)(a + b)
By the commutative property of multiplication (xy = yx), the final
answer could also be written (a + b)(a + c). Also, to check our
answer, just double distribute the answer and you should get the
original expression.
EXAMPLE 6: Factor: x 3 7x 2 9x + 63
Solution: Group the first two terms and the last two terms:
( x 3 7x 2 ) ( 9x 63)
Now factor the GCF in each pair of grouped terms. The first GCF
is obvious: x 2 . Choosing the GCF in the second grouping is a
little trickier -- should we choose 9 or 9? Ultimately, it’s a trial-
and-error process. Watch what happens if we choose 9 for the
GCF:
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x 2 (x 7) 9(x 7) (check the signs carefully)
We now see two terms whose GCF is x 7. Pull it to the front:
(x 7)(x 2 9)
All this, and we’re still not done. The second factor is the
difference of two squares -- now we’re done:
(x 7)(x + 3)(x 3)
EXAMPLE 7: Factor: ab + cd + ad + bc
Solution: Group the first two terms and the last two terms
(after all, this technique worked quite well in the previous two
examples):
(ab cd) (ad bc)
We’re stuck; there’s no way to factor either pair of terms (the
GCF = 1 in each case), so let’s swap the two middle terms of the
original problem and again group in pairs:
(ab ad) (cd bc)
Pull out the GCF from each set of parentheses:
a(b + d) + c(d + b)
Do we have a common factor in these two terms? Well, does
b + d = d + b? Since addition is commutative, of course they are
equal. So the GCF is b + d, and when we pull it out in front,
we’re done:
(b + d)(a + c)
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EXAMPLE 8: Factor: 2ax bx 2ay + by
Solution: Group in pairs, as usual:
(2ax bx) + (2ay + by)
Pull out the GCF in each grouping:
x(2a b) + y(2a + b)
Problem: There’s no common factor; however, the factors 2a b
and 2a + b are opposites of each other, and that gives us a clue.
Let’s go back to our first step and factor out y rather than y:
x(2a b) y(2a b) (distribute to make sure we’re right)
Now we see a good GCF, so we pull it out in front, and we’re
done:
(2a b)(x y) [Check by multiplying out]
Homework
3. Factor each expression:
a. xw + xz + wy + yz b. a 2 + ac + ab + bc
c. x 3 4x 2 + 3x 12 d. n 3 n 2 5n + 5
e. x 3 + x 2 9x 9 f. ac bd + bc ad
g. xw + yz xz wy h. 2ac 2ad + bc bd
i. 6xw yz + 3xz 2wy j. hj j 2 hk + jk
k. ax + ay bx by l. x 3 2x 2 25x + 50
m. xw + 2wy xz 2yz n. a 3 a 2 5a + 5
o. 4tw 2tx + 2w 2 wx p. 6x 3 + 2x 2 9x 3
q. Not factorable r. 6a 3 15a 2 + 10a 25
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M ORE G ROUPING AND S UBSTITUTION P ROBLEMS
EXAMPLE 9: Factor: (w + z) 2 a 2
Solution: After some practice, you might not need a
substitution for this kind of problem, but we’ll use one for this
problem. Let n = w + z. The starting problem then becomes
n2 a2
This is just a standard difference of squares:
(n + a)(n a)
Now substitute in the other direction:
(w + z + a)(w + z a)
EXAMPLE 10: Factor: x 2 + 6x + 9 y 2
Solution: Grouping in pairs has worked quite well so far, so
let’s try it again:
(x 2 + 6x) + (9 y 2 )
We see that the first pair of terms has a nice GCF of x, and the
second is the difference of squares:
x(x + 6) + (3 + y)(3 y)
Good try, but there’s no common factor in these two terms. In
fact, no grouping into pairs will result in a common factor -- a
dead end. Let’s go back to the original problem and regroup so
that the first three terms are together:
(x 2 + 6x + 9) y 2
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The first set of three terms is a perfect square trinomial, and
factors into the square of a binomial:
(x + 3) 2 y 2
leaving us with another difference of squares (just like the
previous example), which factors to
(x + 3 + y)(x + 3 y)
Homework
4. Factor each expression:
a. (x + y) 2 z 2 b. (a b) 2 c 2
c. x 2 + 4x + 4 y 2 d. n 2 6n + 9 Q 2
e. (u + w) 2 T 2 f. y 2 + 10y + 25 x 2
g. a 2 + 2ab + b 2 c 2 h. w 2 2wy + y 2 49
i. 4x 2 + 4x + 1 t 2 j. 9x 2 12x + 4 y 2
F ACTORING C UBICS U SING THE GCF
EXAMPLE 11: Factor each cubic (3rd degree) polynomial:
A. 5q 3 + 10q 2 + 5q
This is not as bad as it looks, if we remember to start with
the GCF:
5q 3 + 10q 2 + 5q (the polynomial to factor)
= 5q(q 2 + 2q + 1) (factor out 5q, the GCF)
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= 5q(q + 1)(q + 1) (factor the trinomial)
= 5q(q + 1) 2 (write it more simply)
B. 4x 3 x
= x(4x 2 1) (factor out x, the GCF)
= x(2x + 1)(2x 1) (difference of squares)
Homework
5. Factor each cubic polynomial:
a. x 3 x b. 2n 3 + 6n 2 + 4n
c. 10a 3 5a 2 5a d. 7y 3 + 70y 2 + 175y
e. 36w 3 9w f. 24z 3 20z 2 24z
Review
Problems
6. Factor each expression:
a. 10ax 4 160a b. Z 2 (P Q) 144(P Q)
c. 50x 3 75x 2 2x + 3 d. 12ac 10bd + 8bc 15ad
e. a 2 2ab + b 2 c 2 f. x 2 + 2xy + y 2 144
g. x 4 34x 2 + 225 h. x 4 8x 2 9
i. x 3 7x 2 + 9x 63 j. n 3 + 3n 2 16n 48
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k. (a + b) 2 5(a + b) + 6 l. (x y) 2 + 7(x y) + 6
m. (a b) 2 + 6(a b) 16 n. hm hn + km kn
Solutions
1. a. (x 2 + 1)(x + 1)(x 1) b. (x 2 + 2)(x 2 3)
c. (n + 1)(n 1)(n + 3)(n 3) d. (a 2 + 9)(a + 3)(a 3)
e. (2w + 1)(2w 1)(3w + 2)(3w 2) f. (x + 1)(x 1)(3x + 5)(3x 5)
g. (c 2 + 4)(c + 2)(c 2) h. (x 2 + 1)(x + 3)(x 3)
i. (x 2 + 2)(x 2 5) j. (g 2 + 16)(g +4)(g 4)
k. (2u + 3)(2u 3)(3u + 1)(3u 1) l. Not factorable
2. a. (x + y)(x + y + 7) b. (a b)(a b c)
c. (c + d)(x 2 + 5) d. (a b)(n + 3)(n 3)
e. (a + 4)(x + 3)(x + 2) f. y(m + n)(y + 7)
g. (a + b)(2x + 5)(x 1) h. (w + z)(2x + 3)(2x 3)
i. (u w)(u w 9) j. n(a + b)(n 9)
k. (t + r)(y + 10)(y 10) l. a(3x + 1)(x 7)
3. a. (x + y)(w + z) b. (a + b)(a + c) c. (x 2 + 3)(x 4)
d. (n 2 5)(n 1) e. (x + 1)(x + 3)(x 3) f. (a + b)(c d)
g. (x y)(w z) h. (2a + b)(c d) i. (3x y)(2w + z)
j. (h j)(j k) k. (a b)(x + y) l. (x 2)(x + 5)(x 5)
m. (x + 2y)(w z) n. (a 2 5)(a 1) o. (2t + w)(2w x)
p. (2x 2 3)(3x + 1) q. Not factorable r. (3a 2 + 5)(2a 5)
4. a. (x + y + z)(x + y z) b. (a b + c)(a b c)
c. (x + 2 + y)(x + 2 y) d. (n 3 + Q)(n 3 Q)
e. (u + w + T)(u + w T) f. (y + 5 + x)(y + 5 x)
g. (a + b + c)(a + b c) h. (w y + 7)(w y 7)
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i. (2x + 1 + t) (2x + 1 t) j. (3x 2 + y)(3x 2 y)
5. a. x(x + 1)(x 1) b. 2n(n + 1)(n + 2)
c. 5a(2a + 1)(a 1) d. 7y(y + 5) 2
e. 9w(2w + 1)(2w 1) f. 4z(3z + 2)(2z 3)
6. a. 10a(x 2 + 4)(x + 2)(x 2) b. (P Q)(Z + 12)(Z 12)
c. (2x 3)(5x + 1)(5x 1) d. (3a + 2b)(4c 5d)
e. (a b + c)(a b c) f. (x + y + 12)(x + y 12)
g. (x + 5)(x 5)(x + 3)(x 3) h. (x 2 + 1)(x + 3)(x 3)
i. (x 2 + 9)(x 7) j. (n + 4)(n 4)(n + 3)
k. (a + b 3)(a + b 2) l. (x y + 6)(x y + 1)
m. (a b + 8)(a b 2) n. (m n)(h + k)
“A college degree is not a
sign that one is a finished
product, but an indication a
person is prepared for life.”
Reverend Edward A. Malloy, Monk's Reflections
Advanced Factoring
