Question:
Factor the following expression: 18x^2 - 60x + 50
Steps:
So, what do they all have in common?
What is the factor of 18, 60, and 50 ?
Since you cant make an odd number like 5 go into 18 you can use 2 as the factor. So...,
1. 2(9x^2 - 30x + 25)
If you get stuck with #1 just check to make sure , so you use the distributive property formula to check:
a(b + c) = ab + ac
- 18x^2 - 60x + 50
- so we have check if its right and yes it was correct.
2. Next, break down 9x^2 - 30x + 25:
So what can you factor out to make 9x^2 and 25?
3 and 5
So.. put it in the equation:
(3x - 5)(3x - 5)
and make sure you have a minus sign and if you get stuck just check the answer:
- (3x * 3x) + (3x * -5) + (-5 * 3x) + (-5 * -5)
= 9x^2 - 15x - 15x + 25
= 9x^2 - 30x + 25
so that was a correct answer!
Now put the 2 and the (3x - 5)(3x - 5) back into the equation to get your final answer:
2(3x - 5)^2 which is the answer!
Hope that helped!!
~Serina
