Question

Factor the trinomial x^2-5x-6

Answer 1

Answer: (x - 6)(x + 1)

Step-by-step explanation: This trinomial has an x² term, an x term and a constant term so it can be factored as the product of two binomials.

So starting with our two sets of parentheses, x² factors as x multiplied by x. Now we want to find factors of the constant term that add to the coefficient  of the middle term. So we're looking for factors of -6 that add to -5.

A negative number factors into the product of a positive and a negative. So our factors of -6 are 6 × -1, -6 × 1, 3 × -2, or -3 × 2.

This is a trick problem because many of these pairs of factors look like they could add to -5 but the only one that does is -6 × 1.

So our answer is (x - 6)(x + 1).