Factoring Trinomials Using Slide & Divide

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What is a trinomial?

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A trinomial is a polynomial with three terms, typically in the form ax^2 + bx + c.

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What does it mean to factor a trinomial?

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Factoring a trinomial involves rewriting it as a product of two binomials.

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What is the 'Slide & Divide' method?

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The 'Slide & Divide' method is a technique for factoring trinomials where you first multiply the leading coefficient by the constant term, then factor the resulting quadratic.

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How do you identify the leading coefficient in a trinomial?

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The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest degree (the first term when written in standard form).

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What is the first step in the 'Slide & Divide' method?

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Multiply the leading coefficient (a) by the constant term (c) in the trinomial ax^2 + bx + c.

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What do you do after multiplying in the 'Slide & Divide' method?

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Find two numbers that multiply to the product from the previous step and add to the middle coefficient (b).

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What is the purpose of the 'Slide' in the 'Slide & Divide' method?

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The 'Slide' refers to moving the leading coefficient down to the second binomial after factoring the quadratic.

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What is the purpose of the 'Divide' in the 'Slide & Divide' method?

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The 'Divide' refers to dividing the factors by the leading coefficient to simplify the binomials.

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