MODULE 3

IN
MATHEMATICS 8
FIRST QUARTER

Unit 1
Algebra

Chapter 1 Factoring
 Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 1
 Unit I
Algebra
Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum and Difference of Two Cubes

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students must be able to:

 Accurately determine that a polynomial is a sum or difference of two cubes;

 Accurately and completely factors polynomials using the sum and difference of two cubes; and
 Correctly solves word problems involving factoring polynomials using the sum and difference of two cubes.

Learn about it!

Perfect Cube – multiplying a number by itself three times.
A constant is a perfect cube if it is
obtained by using a Number Cube Perfect number as a factor
three times. (x) (x3 ¿ Cube
3
1 1 =1 x 1 x 1 1
Observe the 3 following examples:
2 2 =2 x 2 x 2 8
3
3 3 =3 x 3 x 3 27
3
5 5 =5 x 5 x 5 125
3
10 10 =10 x 10 x 10 1000

Number Cube Perfect

A variable is a (x) (x3 ¿ Cube perfect square when its
exponent is even, a a
3
a
3
which is divisible by 2.
2 6
b ¿¿ b
3 9
c ¿¿ c
5 15
d ¿¿ d
10 30
e ¿¿ e

A sum or a difference of two cubes which can be factored as,

3 3 3 2
x + y =( x + y ) (x −xy + y )
3 3 3 2
x − y = ( x − y ) ( x + xy + y )

Let us take the case ofk 3−125. What are its factors?
Check if the given expressions involves sum or difference of two cubes:

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 2
  It is a binomial.
 The operation involved is either addition or subtraction. In this case, it is subtraction.
 k 3is the cube of k , while 125is the cube of 5 .
Following the format above for difference of two cubes, we have x=k and y=5 . So,
3 3 2 2
x − y = ( x − y ) ( x + xy + y )

k −5 =( k−5 ) ¿)
3 3

3 2
k −125=( k−5 )(k +5 k +25)

Thus, k 3−125=( k−5 )(k 2 +5 k +25)

Let’s Practice

Example 1
Factor8 b 3+1.
Steps:
1. Check if there is a common monomial factor.
2. Check if the given polynomial involves a sum or difference of two cubes.
3. Identify the cube root of each term
4. “Write what you see” to get the binomial factor. (Disregard the parenthesis
and the cube
5. “Square – Multiply – Square” the binomial factor to get the trinomial factor.
.
Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial factor.
3
8 b ∧1 have no common monomial factor.

Step 2:
Check if the given polynomial involves a sum or difference of two cubes.
3
 8 b +1 is a binomial.
 The operation involved is addition.
Step 3

Identify the cube root of each term

3
8 b =¿ ¿, while
Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 3
 1=¿ .

Step 4
“Write what you see” from step 3 to get the binomial factor. (Disregard the
parenthesis and the cube.
3
8 b +1=(2 b+1) Binomial Factor
Step 5
“Square – Multiply – Square” the binomial factor to get the trinomial factor
 Square the first term in the binomial factor.
2b First Term in the Binomial Factor
2
2 b=(2 b)

¿4 b
2
First Term of the Trinomial factor
 Multiply the first and second term of the binomial factor.
2b First term in the binomial factor
1 Second term in the binomial factor

( 2 b ) ( 1 )=2 b Second term in the trinomial factor

 Square the second term of the binomial factor.
1 Second term in the binomial factor
2
1=(1)

¿1 Third term in the trinomial factor

Combined all to get the factor of the sum of two cube.

8 b 3+1=( 2 b+1 ) ( 4 b2−2 b+1 )

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 4
Example 2
Factor completely8 f 3 g−216 g .
Steps:
1. Check if there is a common monomial factor.
2. Check if the given polynomial involves a sum or difference of two cubes.
3. Identify the cube root of each term
4. “Write what you see” to get the binomial factor. (Disregard the parenthesis
and the cube
5. “Square – Multiply – Square” the binomial factor to get the trinomial factor.
Step 1
Check if there is a common monomial factor.
8g Common monomial factor
3 3
8 f g−216 g=8 g(f −27)
Step 2:
Check if the given polynomial involves a sum or difference of two cubes.
3
 f −27 is a binomial.
 The operation involved is subtraction.
Step 3

Identify the cube root of each term

3
f =¿
3
27=(3)

Step 4
“Write what you see” to get the binomial factor. (Disregard the parenthesis
and the cube
8 g ( f 3−27 ) =8 g ( f −3 ) Binomial factor

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 5
Step 5
“Square – Multiply – Square” the binomial factor to get the trinomial factor.
 Square the first term in the binomial factor.
f First Term in the Binomial Factor
2
f =(f )

¿f
2
First Term of the Trinomial factor
 Multiply the first and second term of the binomial factor.
f First term in the binomial factor
3 Second term in the binomial factor

( f )( 3 )=3 f Second term in the trinomial factor

 Square the second term of the binomial factor.
3 Second term in the binomial factor
2
3=(3)

¿9 Third term in the trinomial factor

Combined all to get the factor of the sum of two cube.

8 f g−216 g = 8 g ( f −3 ) ( f +3 f +9)
3 2

Example 3
Factor completely f 6−1.
Step 1
Check if there is a common monomial factor.
f −1 have no common monomial factor.
6

Step 2:

Check if the given is a difference of two squares.

f is the square of f , and 1 is the square of 1. Using x − y =(x+ y)( x− y)
6 3 2 2

We have,
Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 6
 6 3
f −1=( f ¿¿ 3+1)( f −1) ¿

Step 3
Check if the given polynomial involves a sum or difference of two cubes.
 ( f ¿¿ 3+1)∧( f 3−1) ¿ are binomials
 The operation involved are addition and subtraction.
Step 4

Identify the cube root of each term.

f =( f ) , so √ (f )3=f
3 3 3

1=(1) , so √ (1)3=1
3 3

Step 5
Write the factors from step 2 and 3
Using the formula for factoring the sum of two cubes, we have
(f ¿¿ 3+1)=(f +1)(f ¿ ¿2−f +1)¿ ¿

f 6−1=( f 3 +1 ) ( f 3−1 )
¿(f +1)(f ¿¿ 2−f + 1)(f −1)(f ¿¿ 2+f +1)¿ ¿

¿(f +1)(f −1)(f ¿¿ 2−f +1)(f ¿¿ 2+f +1) ¿ ¿

References:
 McCune, Sandra Luna and Clark, William D. Easy Algebra Step-by-Step. McGraw Hill
Professional, 2011.
 “Factoring Sum or Difference of Two Cubes.” Purple Math. Retrieved 21 January 2019 from
https://www.purplemath.com/modules/specfact2.htm
 “Factoring Sum or Difference of Two Cubes”. IXL Learning Inc. Retrieved 21 January 2019 from
https://www.ixl.com/math/algebra-2/factor-sums-and-differences-of-cubes

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring the Sum or Difference of Two Cubes pg. 7