Factoring polynomials

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Connie

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Oct 6, 2006
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Hi! I don't really get how to factor polynomials like here for an example:

4x^2-12x+5

I factor this by using the 'Mensah method' (my teacher's method) and get this:

4x^2-2x-10x+5

Then after factoring that I get:

x(4x-2)-5(2x-1)

Then I'm stuck and I don't know what to do

So far am I doing this correctly?[/tex][/list][/code]
 
Connie said:
Hi! I don't really get how to factor polynomials like here for an example:

4x^2-12x+5

I factor this by using the 'Mensah method' (my teacher's method) and get this:

4x^2-2x-10x+5

Then after factoring that I get:

x(4x-2)-5(2x-1)

Then I'm stuck and I don't know what to do

So far am I doing this correctly?[/tex][/list][/code]
Click to expand...

4x<SUP>2</SUP> - 2x - 10x + 5

You only took a common factor of x out of the first two terms. The greatest common factor of those terms is 2x. Remove that common factor and you have

2x(2x - 1) -5(2x - 1)

Now, can you finish it?
 
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