When factoring quadratics of the form y=ax²+bx+c typically has a rule known as the Sum and Product rule. When using this rule we are looking for two integers that have a sum of the “b” value and a product of the “c” value.
These first practice questions will have you use the sum and product rule to solve the factors of a quadratic when both of the factors are positive numbers.
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Once you’ve mastered those, feel free to try to factor these quadratics using the sum and product rule. It’s very similar to the ones above except now we’ve introduced negative numbers. A good rule to keep in mind is that if the “b” value is negative, you know that the negative number is going to be larger than the positive number. The ones from up above are also mixed in just to keep you on your toes.
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If you’ve been successful with using the sum and product rule, it’s time to start practicing factoring when the “a” value is not 1. This means that although you begin by using something similar to the sum and product rule, you will have to use a separate method in order to finish off the problem. One common method for doing this is called Decomposition. If you liked to see a demonstration of how to use Decomposition, watch the video below.
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Ready to try applying your skills at decomposition? See if you can get 5 in a row.
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