Unit 4 Factoring Quadratics Flashcard

Front

What is the general form of a quadratic equation?

Back

The general form of a quadratic equation is ax² + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants and a ≠ 0.

Front

What does it mean to factor a quadratic expression?

Back

Factoring a quadratic expression means rewriting it as a product of two binomials.

Front

What are the factors of the expression x² - 81?

Back

The factors of x² - 81 are (x - 9)(x + 9), which is a difference of squares.

Front

How do you factor the expression x² + 4x + 4?

Back

The expression x² + 4x + 4 can be factored as (x + 2)(x + 2) or (x + 2)².

Front

What is the factored form of the expression 3x² - 17x + 10?

Back

The factored form of 3x² - 17x + 10 is (x - 5)(3x - 2).

Front

What is the difference of squares formula?

Back

The difference of squares formula states that a² - b² = (a - b)(a + b).

Front

What is the perfect square trinomial formula?

Back

The perfect square trinomial formula states that a² + 2ab + b² = (a + b)² and a² - 2ab + b² = (a - b)².

Front

How can you identify a quadratic expression?

Back

A quadratic expression can be identified by its highest degree of 2, meaning the variable is raised to the second power.

Front

What is the significance of the leading coefficient in a quadratic equation?

Back

The leading coefficient (a) determines the direction of the parabola: if a > 0, it opens upwards; if a < 0, it opens downwards.

Front

What is the process of completing the square?

Back

Completing the square involves rewriting a quadratic in the form (x - p)² = q to make it easier to solve or factor.