trinomial squares I'm getting confused

[swampy]

162x^2 - 36x + 2

(18x - 2) (9x -1)
I think the answer is correct but I cannot figure out how I go it? I know that 18 (9) is 162 -- and 18 + 18 is 36..

 

[mmm4444bot]

18x - 2 can itself be factored, so you're not done.

If you had started by factoring out a 2 from the original expression, then you would not have ended up with 18x - 2 as one of the factors.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

162x^2 - 36x + 2

(18x - 2) (9x -1)
I think the answer is correct but I cannot figure out how I go it? I know that 18 (9) is 162 -- and 18 + 18 is 36..

Did you do it by trial & error?

Your logic should be:

162 * 2 = 164 = 18*18

and

18 + 18 = 36