MCF3M1- UNIT 3

Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School

ASSESSMENT
NOTES LEVELLED
TEST UNITS 1-3 /100 MARKS
MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Unit Overview

In this unit, factoring by various methods will be used to solve quadratics. You will
interact with the “Rectangle Factory'' to develop the concept of factors as things that
multiply (Area = length × width). A factoring flow chart will be created to organize the list
of tools that can be used when factoring.

Please ensure you have thorough notes made and show these to your
teacher. Once you have consulted with your teacher, you will be authorized for
the test which covers material from units 1-3. This is an open book/notes test and
you can have access to the online classroom for units. The test is done through
“Quizzes” on D2L and you must book a time to complete the test with your
classroom teacher.

Content

Solving by Isolation and by Factoring

You may sometimes want to solve equations. To solve means to find the values that
make the equations true (left side = right side). These values are called solutions, roots,
or zeros. To solve without factoring you need to isolate for the unknown variable.

Example:
2
𝑥 −4=0
2
𝑥 =4
𝑥 =± 2

It may not always be as easy to isolate for the unknown variable in this way. One other
possible method of solving is to first factor. Factoring means to make things multiply.
You may have created "factor trees" before.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Expression

Partially
Factored

Fully Factored

When expressions are quadratics instead of numbers the factors become more
complicated. However, if any one of the factors of an expression is zero then the whole
expression is zero (multiplying by zero makes everything zero). This property is
exploited when a function is set equal to zero.

Example

If f(x) = x³ + 2x² + x and f(x) = 0 then,

● If any of these factors are equal to 0,

then the whole expression is equal to
0.
● Values that make the factors 0 are
solutions that make the expression
0.
● Solve for the variable in each factor
● Solutions, roots, zeros

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

From the last line of the tree: 0 = (𝑥)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 1)

𝑆𝑜, 0 = 𝑥 𝑜𝑟 (𝑥 + 1) = 0 𝑜𝑟 (𝑥 + 1) = 0

𝑥=0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 =− 1 𝑥 =− 1

Factoring provides an alternative to solving by isolation if the function can

be set equal to zero first ( if f(x)=0 ).

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Factors: Lengths and Widths of Rectangles

Quadratics are functions of the form f(x) = ax² + bx + c (a ≠ 0 or there is no squared
term). Since the "quad" in quadratic means four then it seems appropriate to imagine
quadratics as four-sided figures: rectangles. When working with numbers, the length
and width of a rectangle are the factors of the area.

Example

Width = 3 m Therefore, Area= 15𝑚

2

Length = 5 m

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

When working with quadratics, the sides of the rectangles can still be the factors of
the area. In these cases the areas and dimensions are polynomials.

Length = (x + 4)

Width = x

Area = x² + 4x

An area like x² + 4x may seem quite strange while a width of "x" and a length that is
always "four units longer than the width" might be more probable. Your goal is then to
make rectangles out of any expression. The factors are then the lengths and the
widths of these rectangles.

From building rectangles you can discover patterns for factoring some special types of
expressions. Patterns might be found for:

1. Numbers
2. Greatest Common Factors
3. Perfect Square Trinomials
4. Simple Trinomials
5. Complex Trinomials

Patterns in Factoring: Greatest Common Factor

For each of the example expressions below observe the following steps required to
factor the GCF.

1. Find the biggest number that divides into each term.

2. Find the biggest power of the variable that divides into each term.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

3. Write the biggest number and the biggest variable to make up the Greatest
Common Factor (GCF).
4. Write the GCF out in front of a bracket.
5. Divide each term in the expression by the GCF to create the terms for the
bracket.

Example
Factor the following:

2 3
a) 3𝑡 + 6 b) 2𝑦 + 8 c) 2𝑧 + 𝑧 d) 8𝑥 + 12

3
= 3(𝑡 + 2) = 2(𝑦 + 4)= 𝑧(2𝑧 + 1) = 4(2𝑥 + 3)

2 3 2 3 2 2
e) 2𝑥 + 4𝑥 + 6 f) 6𝑥 + 12𝑥 + 3𝑥 g) 10𝑥 𝑦 + 12𝑥 𝑦 + 16𝑦

2 2 3 2
= 2(𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 3) = 3𝑥(2𝑥 + 4𝑥 + 1) = 2𝑦(5𝑥 + 6𝑥 𝑦 + 8)

Patterns in Factoring: Perfect Squares

For each of the example expressions below observe the following steps required to
factor the perfect square.

1. Check to see that there are only three terms.

2. Put the terms in order from highest to lowest degree.
3. Check to see that the first and last terms are perfect squares (you can square root
them without resulting in a decimal value).
4. Check to see that the middle term is twice the square rooted product of the first
and last terms (a² + 2ab + b²).
5. In factored form, the first square root starts the bracket.
6. In factored form, the second square root ends the bracket.
7. In factored form, the sign of the middle term goes in between this squared bracket.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

(a² + 2ab + b²) = (a + b)(a + b)

Factoring of Perfect Squares:

(a² + 2ab + b²) = (a+b)²

Example
Factor the following:

a) x² + 2x + 1 b) x² - 2x + 1 c) 4x² - 12x + 9

= (x)² + 2(x)(1) + (1)² = (x)² - 2(x)(1) + (1)² = (2x)² - 2(2x)(3) + (3)²

= (x + 1)² = (x - 1)² = (2x - 3)²

Check: Check: Check:

= (x + 1)²
= (x - 1)² = (2x - 3)²
= (x + 1)(x + 1)
= (x - 1)(x - 1) = (2x - 3)(2x - 3)
= x² + 1x + 1x + 1
= x² - 1x - 1x + 1 = 4x² - 6x - 6x + 9
= x² + 2x + 1
= x² - 2x + 1 = 4x¹ - 12x + 9

Patterns in Factoring: Simple Trinomials

For each of the example expressions below observe the following steps required to
factor simple trinomials.

1. Check to see that there are only three terms.

2. Put the terms in order from highest to lowest degree.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

3. Check to see that there is no number in front of the squared term. The expression
is in the form or can be re-arranged into the form:
x² + bx + c (simple trinomial)
4. Find two values that add up to the middle terms coefficient and multiply to give the
last value (the sum of the middle value and product of the last).
5. You cannot factor by this method if the sum and product values do not exist.

Example
Factor the following:

a) x² + 4x + 3 b) x² - 6x - 16 c) x² + 9xy + 8y²

List the factors of 3: List the factors of -16: List the factors of 8y²:

1×3 -1 × -3 1 × -16 -1 × 16 1y × 8y -1y × -8y

2 × -8 -2 × 8 2y × 4y -2y × -4y

4 × -4 -4 × 4

Check sum of factors: Check sum of factors: Check sum of factors:

1+3=4 2 + (-8) = -6 1y + 8y = 9y

Answer: Answer: Answer:

= x² + 4x + 3 = x² - 6x - 16 = x² + 9xy + 8y²

= (x + 1)(x + 3) = (x + 2)(x - 8) = (x + 1y)(x + 8y)

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Check: Check: Check:

= (x + 3)(x + 1) = (x + 2)(x - 8) = (x + 3)(x + 1)

= x² + 1x + 3x + 3 = x² + 2x - 8x - 16 = x² + 1x + 3x + 3

= x² + 4x + 3 = x² - 6x - 16 = x² + 4x + 3

Patterns in Factoring: Complex Trinomials

For each of the example expressions below observe the following steps required to
factor complex trinomials.

1. Check to see that there are only three terms.

2. Put the terms in order from highest to lowest degree.
3. Check to see that the expression is written in the form or can be re-arranged into
the form (there is a number in front of the squared term):
ax² + bx + c (complex trinomial)
4. List the factors of the co-efficients for the first and last terms.
5. Place the factors of the firsts at the start of two brackets.
6. Place the factors of the lasts at the end of these same two brackets.
7. Check different combinations of lasts that will give outers/inners that add to the
co-efficient of the middle term.
8. Place variables in their appropriate places while keeping the order of the numbers
the same (it is a good idea to check your final answer by expanding).

Example
Factor the following:

a) 2x² + 7x + 3 b) 3x² - 2x - 5

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

List factors of the first and last terms: List factors of the first and last terms:

(1 × 2) (1 × 3) (1 × 3) (1 × -5)

Check outers/inners Check outers/inners

combinations: combinations:

(1 + 1)(2 + 3) (1 + 1)(3 - 5)

outers + inners outers + inners

=1×3+1×2 = 1 × -5 + 1 × 3

=3+2 = -5 + 3

=5 = -2

(try a different (no need to try any the

combination by switching other combination)
order of lasts)

(1 + 3)(2 + 1)

outers + inners

=1×1+3×2

=1+6

=7

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Answer: Answer:

= 2x² + 7x + 3 = 3x² - 2x - 5

= (1x + 3)(2x + 1) = (1x + 1)(3x - 5)

Numbers appear in order from the Numbers appear in order from the
correct outer/inner combination correct outer/inner combination
above: above:

(1x + 3)(2x + 1) (1x + 1)(3x - 5)

Check: Check:

= (1x + 3)(2x + 1) = (1x + 1)(3x - 5)

= 2x² + 1x + 6x + 3 = 3x² - 5x + 3x - 5

= 2x² + 7x + 3

Patterns in Factoring: Difference of Squares

For each of the example expressions below observe the following steps required to
factor a difference of squares.

1. Check to see that there are only two terms that are being subtracted.
2. Check to see that the two terms are perfect squares. The expression will be of the
form:
a² - b² (difference of squares)
3. The factors of a difference of squares have bracketed factors that start with the
base of the first squared term and end with the base of the second squared term.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

The signs of each bracketed factor are opposite.

a² - b² = (a + b)(a - b)

Example
Factor the following

a) x² - 9 b) 4x² - 16y²

= x² - 3² = (2x)² - (4y)²

= (x + 3)(x - 3) = (2x + 4y)(2x - 4y)

Check: Check:

= (x + 3)(x - 3) = (2x + 4y)(2x - 4y)

= x² - 3x + 3x - 9 = 4x² - 8xy + 8xy - 16y²

= x² - 9 = 4x² - 16y²

Putting it all Together

After working hard with all of the different factoring methods it is important to note that
not all expressions can be factored. This means that some equations cannot be solved
by factoring. For those equations that can be factored it may be necessary to use a
combination of one or more factoring methods. Any time that you encounter an
expression that needs factoring you should first check for a greatest common factor
(GCF). As part of the assignment for this activity you will be asked to develop a
flow-chart with examples of factoring techniques.

You factor so that you can solve for the values that make an expression true.
Remember that the equation must be set equal to zero (f(x) = 0) to then solve by setting
each of the factors equal to zero.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Example
Solve:

3 2
3𝑥 + 3𝑥 =− 6𝑥 - set the equation equal to zero to solve

3 2
3𝑥 + 3𝑥 + 6𝑥 = 0 - look for the greatest common factor

2
3𝑥(𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 1) = 0 - look for any other factoring technique

3𝑥(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 1) = 0 - set each bracket equal to zero and solve

3𝑥 = 0, 𝑥 + 1 = 0

𝑥 = 0, 𝑥 =− 1 * the solutions to the equation 3x³ + 3x = -6x² are x = -1,0

CHECK: 𝑥 =− 1

3 2
Left Side = 3𝑥 + 3𝑥 Right Side: =− 6𝑥

3 2
= 3(− 1) + 3(− 1) =− 6(− 1)

= 3(− 1) + 3(− 1) =− 6(1)

=− 3 − 3 =− 6

=− 6

Therefore, Left Side = Right Side.

CHECK: 𝑥 = 0

3 2
Left Side = 3𝑥 + 3𝑥 Right Side: =− 6𝑥

3 2
= 3(0) + 3(0) =− 6(0)

= 3(0) + 3(0) =− 6(0)

=0 = 0

Therefore, Left Side = Right Side.

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MCF3M1- UNIT 3- Quadratics: Factoring & Solving

Please ensure you have thorough notes made and show these to your
teacher. Once you have consulted with your teacher, you will be authorized for
the test which covers material from units 1-3. This is an open book/notes test and
you can have access to the online classroom for units. The test is done through
“Quizzes” on D2L and you must book a time to complete the test with your
classroom teacher.

***END OF UNIT 3***

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