Department of Education

National Capital Region

Division of Taguig City and Pateros
Spring of Virtue Integrated School Inc.

MODULE 5
IN
MATHEMATICS 8
FIRST QUARTER

Unit 1
Algebra

Chapter 1 Factoring
 Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials

Prepared by:
Miss Mary Joy C. Buliag
MATHEMATICS Teacher

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 1
 Unit I
Algebra
Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 3 Factoring General Trinomial

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students must be able to:
 Accurately determine if a trinomial is factorable or not;
 Correctly and completely factor a general trinomial; and
 Accurately solve word problems involving the factors of a general trinomial.

Learn about it!

Suppose the product of two numbers is x 2+ 5 x +6 . What are the numbers?

To factor out a general trinomial, you can use the technique called the AC method, which is
basically the “inverse” of the FOIL method.
First, identify the coefficients A and C of the trinomial in the form Ax2 + Bx+C , and then find their
product.

x + 5 x +6 = 1 x +5 x +6
2 2

A=1
C=6
AC=6

Then find the factors of AC=6 that add up to the middle term’s coefficient, B. In this case, B=5 .

Factors of 6 Sum

1, 6 7

2, 3 5

The factors of 6 that have a sum of 5 are 2 and 3.

Next, rewrite the trinomial by expanding the middle term,5 x , into 2 x+3 x :
2 2
x + 5 x +6=x + 2 x +3 x+ 6

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 2
 Regroup the polynomial into two sets of binomials. Factor each binomial using their greatest
common factor. Then we factor the common binomial factor from each set to form the two factors.
2 2
x + 5 x +6=x + 2 x +3 x+ 6
¿(x ¿¿ 2+2 x)+(3 x+ 6)¿

¿ x (x +2)+3 (x+ 2)
¿(x +2)+(x +3)

Thus, written in factored form, x 2+ 5 x +6=¿ (x +2)+(x +3)

Let’s Practice
Example 1:
Factor completely: x 2+ 7 x+10 .
Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial factor and/or if the given trinomial is a perfect square. If
so, factor accordingly.

 The terms of x 2+ 7 x+10 have no common monomial factor.

 2
x + 7 x+10 is not a perfect square trinomial.

Step 2:
Find AC
Given x 2+ 7 x+10 , A=1∧C=10
AC=1 x 10

¿ 10
Step 3:
Find the factors of 10 whose sum is the coefficient of the middle term, 7.

Factors of 10 Sum

1, 10 11

2, 5 7
Note: When the coefficients of the middle and last terms are both positive, the factors of AC
must be both positive as well.

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 3
Step 4:
Rewrite the middle term of the original trinomial using the factors obtained in step 3.
2 2
x + 7 x+10=x + 2 x +5 x+ 10
Step 5:
Regroup the resulting polynomial and factor each group using their greatest common factor.
Then factor out the common binomial factor from set.
2 2
x + 7 x+10=x + 2 x +5 x+ 10
¿(x ¿¿ 2+2 x)+(5 x+10)¿
¿ x (x +2)+5 (x+2)
¿(x +2)(x +5)

Therefore x 2+ 7 x+10=( x +2 ) ( x +5)

Example 2
Factor completely: x 2+ 9 x+18 .

Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial factor and/or if the given trinomial is a perfect square. If
so, factor accordingly.

 The terms of x 2+ 9 x+18 have no common monomial factor.

 2
x + 9 x+18 is not a perfect square trinomial.

Step 2:
Find AC
Given x 2+ 9 x+18 , A=1∧C=18
AC=1 x 18

¿ 18
Step 3:
Find the factors of 10 whose sum is the coefficient of the middle term, 9.

Factors of 18 Sum
1, 18 19
2, 9 11
3, 6 9

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 4
 Note: When the coefficients of the middle and last terms are both positive, the factors of AC
must be both positive as well.
Step 4:
Rewrite the middle term of the original trinomial using the factors obtained in step 3.
2 2
x + 9 x+18=x + 3 x +6 x +18
Step 5:
Regroup the resulting polynomial and factor each group using their greatest common factor.
Then factor out the common binomial factor from set.
2 2
x + 9 x+18=x + 3 x +6 x +18
¿(x ¿¿ 2+3 x )+(6 x +1 8)¿
¿ x (x +3)+ 6(x +3)
¿(x +3)(x +6)

Therefore x 2+ 9 x+18=( x +3)( x +6)

Example 3
Factor completely: 1 0 x2 +15 x−7 0

Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial factor and/or if the given trinomial is a perfect square. If
so, factor accordingly.

 The terms of10 x 2+15 x−70 have common monomial factor.

5 isthe common monomial factor
2
2 10 x +15 x−70
10 x +15 x−70=¿
5
2 2
10 x +15 x−70=5(2 x + 3 x−14)
 2
2 x +3 x−14 is not a perfect square trinomial.

Step 2:
For the trinomial 2 x 2+3 x−14 find AC

Given 2 x 2+3 x−14 , A=2∧C=−14

AC=2 x (−14)

¿−2 8

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 5
Step 3:
Find the factors of 10 whose sum is the coefficient of the middle term, 3.

Factors of −2 8 Sum
1, −28 −27
−1 , 28 27
2, −14 −12
−2 , 14 12
4, −7 −3
−4 , 7 3

Note: When the last term is negative, one of the factors of AC must be positive while the other
must be negative.
Step 4:
Rewrite the middle term of the original trinomial using the factors obtained in step 3.
2 2
2 x +3 x−14=2 x −4 x +7 x−14
Step 5:
Regroup the resulting polynomial and factor each group using their greatest common factor.
Then factor out the common binomial factor from set.
2 2
2 x +3 x−14=2 x −4 x +7 x−14
¿(2 x ¿¿ 2−4 x)+(7 x−14)¿
¿ 2 x( x−2)+7 (x−2)
¿(2 x +7)(x−2)

Therefore10 x 2+15 x−70=5(2 x +7)(x−2)

Example 4
Factor completely: x 2−8 x +12.

Solution:
Step 1:
Check if there is a common monomial factor and/or if the given trinomial is a perfect square. If
so, factor accordingly.

 The terms of x 2−8 x +12 have no common monomial factor.

Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 6
  2
x −8 x +12 is not a perfect square trinomial.

Step 2:
Find AC
Given x 2−8 x +12 , A=1∧C=12
AC=1 x 12

¿12
Step 3:
Find the factors of 10 whose sum is the coefficient of the middle term, −8 .

Factors of 12 Sum
−1 ,−12 −13
−2 ,−6 −8
−3 ,−4 −7

Note: When the last term is positive but the middle term is negative, the factors of AC must be
both negative.
Step 4:
Rewrite the middle term of the original trinomial using the factors obtained in step 3.
2 2
x −8 x +12=x −2 x−6 x +12
Step 5:
Regroup the resulting polynomial and factor each group using their greatest common factor.
Then factor out the common binomial factor from set.
2 2
x −8 x +12=x −2 x−6 x +12
¿(x ¿¿ 2−2 x )+(−6 x +1 2)¿
¿ x ( x−2 )−6( x−2)

¿(x −2)(x −6)

Therefore x 2−8 x +12=( x−2)( x−6)

References:
 Quipper
 https://mediacdn.quipper.com/media/
W1siZiIsIjIwMTkvMDIvMDMvMTgvNTEvMjIvNjNjYmM2ODAtMTMxMC00ODZjLWFiNTUtNDA2
MTE1MjJhYWVhL004JTIwMDElMjBRMSUyMEZELnBkZiJdXQ.pdf?sha=8f4dc7b0083bf966
Chapter 1 Factoring
Lesson 4 Factoring General Trinomials pg. 7