# 7.4 Factor special products

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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
• Factor perfect square trinomials
• Factor differences of squares
• Factor sums and differences of cubes
• Choose method to factor a polynomial completely

Before you get started, take this readiness quiz.

1. Simplify: ${\left(12x\right)}^{2}.$
If you missed this problem, review [link] .
2. Multiply: ${\left(m+4\right)}^{2}.$
If you missed this problem, review [link] .
3. Multiply: ${\left(p-9\right)}^{2}.$
If you missed this problem, review [link] .
4. Multiply: $\left(k+3\right)\left(k-3\right).$
If you missed this problem, review [link] .

The strategy for factoring we developed in the last section will guide you as you factor most binomials, trinomials, and polynomials with more than three terms. We have seen that some binomials and trinomials result from special products—squaring binomials and multiplying conjugates. If you learn to recognize these kinds of polynomials, you can use the special products patterns to factor them much more quickly.

## Factor perfect square trinomials

Some trinomials are perfect squares. They result from multiplying a binomial times itself. You can square a binomial by using FOIL, but using the Binomial Squares pattern you saw in a previous chapter saves you a step. Let’s review the Binomial Squares pattern by squaring a binomial using FOIL.

The first term is the square of the first term of the binomial and the last term is the square of the last. The middle term is twice the product of the two terms of the binomial.

$\begin{array}{c}\hfill {\left(3x\right)}^{2}+2\left(3x·4\right)+{4}^{2}\hfill \\ \hfill 9{x}^{2}+24x+16\hfill \end{array}$

The trinomial 9 x 2 + 24 +16 is called a perfect square trinomial. It is the square of the binomial 3 x +4.

We’ll repeat the Binomial Squares Pattern here to use as a reference in factoring.

## Binomial squares pattern

If a and b are real numbers,

$\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill {\left(a+b\right)}^{2}={a}^{2}+2ab+{b}^{2}\hfill & & & \hfill \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{\left(a-b\right)}^{2}={a}^{2}-2ab+{b}^{2}\hfill \end{array}$

When you square a binomial, the product is a perfect square trinomial. In this chapter, you are learning to factor—now, you will start with a perfect square trinomial and factor it into its prime factors.

You could factor this trinomial using the methods described in the last section, since it is of the form ax 2 + bx + c . But if you recognize that the first and last terms are squares and the trinomial fits the perfect square trinomials pattern    , you will save yourself a lot of work.

Here is the pattern—the reverse of the binomial squares pattern.

## Perfect square trinomials pattern

If a and b are real numbers,

$\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill {a}^{2}+2ab+{b}^{2}={\left(a+b\right)}^{2}\hfill & & & \hfill \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{a}^{2}-2ab+{b}^{2}={\left(a-b\right)}^{2}\hfill \end{array}$

To make use of this pattern, you have to recognize that a given trinomial fits it. Check first to see if the leading coefficient is a perfect square, ${a}^{2}$ . Next check that the last term is a perfect square, ${b}^{2}$ . Then check the middle term—is it twice the product, 2 ab ? If everything checks, you can easily write the factors.

## How to factor perfect square trinomials

Factor: $9{x}^{2}+12x+4$ .

## Solution

Factor: $4{x}^{2}+12x+9$ .

${\left(2x+3\right)}^{2}$

Factor: $9{y}^{2}+24y+16$ .

${\left(3y+4\right)}^{2}$

The sign of the middle term determines which pattern we will use. When the middle term is negative, we use the pattern ${a}^{2}-2ab+{b}^{2}$ , which factors to ${\left(a-b\right)}^{2}$ .

The steps are summarized here.

## Factor perfect square trinomials.

$\begin{array}{ccccccc}\mathbf{\text{Step 1.}}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{Does the trinomial fit the pattern?}\hfill & & & \hfill {a}^{2}+2ab+{b}^{2}\hfill & & & \hfill \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{a}^{2}-2ab+{b}^{2}\hfill \\ \phantom{\rule{2.5em}{0ex}}•\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}\text{Is the first term a perfect square?}\hfill & & & \hfill {\left(a\right)}^{2}\hfill & & & \hfill \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{\left(a\right)}^{2}\hfill \\ \phantom{\rule{4em}{0ex}}\text{Write it as a square.}\hfill & & & & & & \\ \phantom{\rule{2.5em}{0ex}}•\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}\text{Is the last term a perfect square?}\hfill & & & {\left(a\right)}^{2}\phantom{\rule{4.5em}{0ex}}{\left(b\right)}^{2}\hfill & & & \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{\left(a\right)}^{2}\phantom{\rule{4.5em}{0ex}}{\left(b\right)}^{2}\hfill \\ \phantom{\rule{4em}{0ex}}\text{Write it as a square.}\hfill & & & & & & \\ \phantom{\rule{2.5em}{0ex}}•\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}\text{Check the middle term. Is it}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}2ab?\hfill & & & {\left(a\right)}^{2}{}_{\text{↘}}\underset{2·a·b}{}{}_{\text{↙}}{\left(b\right)}^{2}\hfill & & & \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{\left(a\right)}^{2}{}_{\text{↘}}\underset{2·a·b}{}{}_{\text{↙}}{\left(b\right)}^{2}\hfill \\ \mathbf{\text{Step 2.}}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{Write the square of the binomial.}\hfill & & & \hfill {\left(a+b\right)}^{2}\hfill & & & \hfill \phantom{\rule{2em}{0ex}}{\left(a-b\right)}^{2}\hfill \\ \mathbf{\text{Step 3.}}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{Check by multiplying.}\hfill & & & & & & \end{array}$

a trader gains 20 rupees loses 42 rupees and then gains ten rupees Express algebraically the result of his transactions
a trader gains 20 rupees loses 42 rupees and then gains 10 rupees Express algebraically the result of his three transactions
vinaya
a trader gains 20 rupees loses 42 rupees and then gains 10 rupees Express algebraically the result of his three transactions
vinaya
a trader gains 20 rupees loses 42 rupees and then gains 10 rupees Express algebraically the result of his three transactions
vinaya
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The sum of two numbers is 155. The difference is 23. Find the numbers
The sum of two numbers is 155. Their difference is 23. Find the numbers
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Larry and Tom were standing next to each other in the backyard when Tom challenged Larry to guess how tall he was. Larry knew his own height is 6.5 feet and when they measured their shadows, Larry’s shadow was 8 feet and Tom’s was 7.75 feet long. What is Tom’s height?
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Wayne is hanging a string of lights 57 feet long around the three sides of his patio, which is adjacent to his house. the length of his patio, the side along the house, is 5 feet longer than twice it's width. Find the length and width of the patio.
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Amara currently sells televisions for company A at a salary of $17,000 plus a$100 commission for each television she sells. Company B offers her a position with a salary of $29,000 plus a$20 commission for each television she sells. How many televisions would Amara need to sell for the options to be equal?
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Amara has to sell 120 televisions to make 29,000 of the salary of company B. 120 * TV 100= commission 12,000+ 17,000 = of company a salary 29,000
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