Factor Pairs

Front

What are factor pairs?

Back

Factor pairs are two numbers that, when multiplied together, give a product. For example, the factor pairs of 12 are (1, 12), (2, 6), and (3, 4).

Front

How do you factor a quadratic expression?

Back

To factor a quadratic expression of the form ax² + bx + c, find two numbers that multiply to ac and add to b. Then, rewrite the expression using these numbers.

Front

What is the factored form of x² + 9x - 36?

Back

(x + 12)(x - 3)

Front

What is the factored form of x² - 2x - 15?

Back

(x - 5)(x + 3)

Front

What is the first step in factoring a quadratic expression?

Back

Identify the coefficients a, b, and c in the expression ax² + bx + c.

Front

What does it mean to factor completely?

Back

Factoring completely means breaking down an expression into its simplest factors, where no further factoring is possible.

Front

What is the factored form of 3x² + 5x - 12?

Back

(3x - 4)(x + 3)

Front

What is the significance of the zero product property in factoring?

Back

The zero product property states that if the product of two factors is zero, then at least one of the factors must be zero. This is used to solve quadratic equations.

Front

How can you check if your factorization is correct?

Back

You can check your factorization by multiplying the factors back together to see if you get the original expression.

Front

What is a common mistake when factoring quadratics?

Back

A common mistake is to forget to check for a common factor before factoring the quadratic expression.