Factorising Cubics

Factorising polynomials
This PowerPoint presentation demonstrates three methods of factorising a polynomial when you know one linear factor. Click here to see factorising by inspection
Click here to see factorising using a table
Click here to see polynomial division
Factorising by inspection
If you divide x - x - 4x 6 (cubic) by x 3 (linear), then the result must be quadratic. Write the quadratic as ax + bx + c.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(ax + bx + c)
Imagine multiplying out the brackets. The only way of getting a term in x is by multiplying x by ax, giving ax.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(ax + bx + c)
So a must be 1.
Imagine multiplying out the brackets. The only way of getting a term in x is by multiplying x by ax, giving ax.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(1x + bx + c)
So a must be 1.
Now think about the constant term. You can only get a constant term by multiplying 3 by c, giving 3c.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + bx + c)
So c must be 2.
Now think about the constant term. You can only get a constant term by multiplying 3 by c, giving 3c.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + bx + 2)
So c must be 2.
Now think about the x term. When you multiply out the brackets, you get two x terms.
-3 multiplied by x gives 3x
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + bx + 2) x multiplied by bx gives bx
So 3x + bx = -1x therefore b must be 2.
Now think about the x term. When you multiply out the brackets, you get two x terms.
-3 multiplied by x gives 3x
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2) x multiplied by bx gives bx
So 3x + bx = -1x therefore b must be 2.
You can check by looking at the x term. When you multiply out the brackets, you get two terms in x.
-3 multiplied by 2x gives -6x
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2) x multiplied by 2 gives 2x
-6x + 2x = -4x as it should be!
Now you can solve the equation by applying the quadratic formula to x+ 2x + 2 = 0.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2)
The solutions of the equation are x = 3, x = -1 + i, x = -1 i.
Click here to see this example of factorising by inspection again
Click here to see factorising using a table Click here to see polynomial division Click here to end the presentation
Factorising using a table

If you find factorising by inspection difficult, you may find this method easier. Some people like to multiply out brackets using a table, like this:
x 2x 2x 3 3x
-3x
-4
-6x -9x
-8x -12
So (2x + 3)(x - 3x 4) = 2x - 3x - 17x - 12 The method you are going to see now is basically the reverse of this process.

If you divide x - x - 4x - 6 (cubic) by x 3 (linear), then the result must be quadratic. Write the quadratic as ax + bx + c.
ax x
-3
bx

The result of multiplying out using this table has to be x - x - 4x - 6
ax x
-3
bx
The only x term appears here,
so this must be x.

ax x
-3
bx
This means that a must be 1.

The result of multiplying out using this table has to be x - x - 4x - 6 1x
bx
x
-3
This means that a must be 1.

x x
-3
bx
c
-6
The constant term, -6, must appear here

x x
-3
bx
c
-6
so c must be 2

x x
-3
bx
2 -6
so c must be 2

x x x
-3 -3x
bx
2 2x -6
Two more spaces in the table can now be filled in

x x x
-3 -3x
bx
2x
2 2x -6
This space must contain an x term and to make a total of x, this must be 2x

x x x
-3 -3x
bx
2x
2 2x -6
This shows that b must be 2

x x x
-3 -3x
2x 2x
2 2x -6
This shows that b must be 2

x x x
-3 -3x
2x 2x -6x
2 2x -6
Now the last space in the table can be filled in

x x x
-3 -3x
2x 2x -6x
2 2x -6
and you can see that the term in x is -4x, as it should be.
So x - x - 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2)
Now you can solve the equation by applying the quadratic formula to x- 2x + 2 = 0.
x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x - 2x + 2)
Click here to see this example of factorising using a table again
Click here to see factorising by inspection

Click here to see polynomial division Click here to end the presentation
Algebraic long division

Divide x - x - 4x - 6 by x - 3
x - 3 is the
divisor
x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6
The quotient will be here. x - x - 4x - 6 is the dividend

First divide the first term of the dividend, x, by x (the first term of the divisor). This gives x. This will be the first term of the quotient.
x x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6
Now multiply x by x - 3 and subtract
x x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
2x 2
Bring down the next term, -4x
x -4 x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
2x 2
Now divide 2x, the first term of 2x - 4x, by x, the first term of the divisor
x + 2x x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
2x 2 - 4x
which gives 2x
x + 2x x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
Multiply 2x by x - 3
2x 2 - 4x 2x - 6x
2x
and subtract
x + 2x -6 x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
Bring down the next term, -6
2x 2 - 4x 2x - 6x
2x
x + 2x + 2 x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2 Divide 2x, the first term of 2x - 6, by 2x 2 - 4x x, the first term 2x - 6x

of the divisor
which gives 2 2x - 6
x + 2x + 2 x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2
Multiply x - 3 by 2 Subtracting gives 0 as there is no remainder.
2x 2 - 4x 2x - 6x
2x - 6 2x - 6 0
So x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x - 2x + 2) Now you can solve the equation by applying the quadratic formula to x- 2x + 2 = 0.
Click here to see this example of polynomial division again Click here to see factorising by inspection
Click here to see factorising using a table Click here to end the presentation

Factorising Cubics

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Factorising Cubics

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Factorising polynomials

Click here to see polynomial division

x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + bx + 2) x multiplied by bx gives bx

So 3x + bx = -1x therefore b must be 2.

x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2) x multiplied by bx gives bx

So 3x + bx = -1x therefore b must be 2.

-3 multiplied by 2x gives -6x

x x 4x - 6 = (x 3)(x + 2x + 2) x multiplied by 2 gives 2x

-6x + 2x = -4x as it should be!

Factorising using a table

Factorising using a table

Factorising using a table

The only x term appears here,

Factorising using a table

This means that a must be 1.

Factorising using a table

This means that a must be 1.

Factorising using a table

The constant term, -6, must appear here

Factorising using a table

Factorising using a table

Factorising using a table

Two more spaces in the table can now be filled in

Factorising using a table

Factorising using a table

This shows that b must be 2

Factorising using a table

This shows that b must be 2

Factorising using a table

Now the last space in the table can be filled in

Factorising using a table

Click here to see factorising by inspection

Algebraic long division

Algebraic long division

Algebraic long division

Now multiply x by x - 3 and subtract

Algebraic long division

Bring down the next term, -4x

Algebraic long division

Algebraic long division

Algebraic long division

Algebraic long division

x + 2x + 2 x 3 x 3 x 2 4x 6 x 3 3x 2 Divide 2x, the first term of 2x - 6, by 2x 2 - 4x x, the first term 2x - 6x

Algebraic long division

The solutions of the equation are x = 3, x = -1 + i, x = -1 i.

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