factoring trinomials: 8x^2+33x+4

What have you tried so far? Are you using any particular method for factoring quadratics? How far did you get? Where are you stuck?

Please be complete and specific. Thank you.

Eliz.

P.S. Welcome to FreeMathHelp! :D
 
well the answer the back of the book has is (x+4)(8x+1)

what i don't understand is how to get there on the previous assignment i was just looking the for GCF and sorta distributing the problem out backwards but it doesn't seem to work for these problems.

what the book does say is to "factor trinomials of the form ax^2+bx+c by grouping and using the trial factor"
 
alliekitty said:
What the book does say is to "factor trinomials of the form ax^2+bx+c by grouping and using the trial factor"

Ok. Well first of all what we are trying to do is find a binomial: (x + something) * (x + something) = 8x^2+33x+4. We multiply (x + something) (x + something) using FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, and Last). For example (2x + 4) (3x - 3 ) = 6x ^ 2 - 6x + 12x - 12 which you can simplify the the terms with the x (- 6x + 12x) to 6x resulting in a final, simplified answer of 6x ^2 + 6x - 12.

So is trial factor the same as trial and error? If so try factors and FOIL 'em out.

Here's some tips:

If the middle term (with the x) is negative (ax^2 - bx + c), you gonna have: (x + something) ( x - something) but not necessarily in that order.

If the middle term if positive, you will have (x + something) (x + something) with no negatives.

There's some tips and hopefully I ain't wasting my time lol.
 
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