Lesson1 SPECIAL PRODUCTS

Factors and products are closely related such that when two or
more numbers or polynomials are multiplies to obtain a product,
then these numbers or polynomials are called factors.

Example:
10·3=30, 30 is the product of 10 and 3.
10 and 3 are the factors of 30.
Similarly:
a) m · m · m = m3, m3 is the product.
m, m, and m are the factors.
b) (2a) (3ab) = 6a2b

factors product
c) 4x (x+3) = 4x2 + 12x

factors product

Multiplication of polynomials can be done easily and quickly if you can apply some
patterns and formulas. These patterns are sometimes called the “short-cut” method of
multiplying polynomials, and the product obtained is called special products.

Lesson1.1: SQUARE OF BINOMIALS

To square a binomial is to multiply a binomial by itself.

Example 1:
(x+3)2 = ___________
(x+3)2 = (x+3) (x+3)
Solution 1:
By vertical method
x+3
x+3
3x+9 3(x+3) apply distributive
x2 + 3x x(x+3) property
x2 + 6x + 9 product
Arrange the partial product with like terms in one column, then add.
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Solution 2:
By horizontal Method
(x+3) (x+3) = x (x+3) + 3 (x+3)
= x2 +3x + 3x + 9 by distribution property
= x2 + 6x + 9 by combining like terms
= x2 + 6x + 9 the product
Solution 3:
(x+3)2 = (x+3) (x+3)
= x2 + 3x + 3x +9
x2 – the product of first term
9 – the product of second term
6x – the sum of the product of the outer term 3x and the product of the inner term 3x
A geometric interpretation of distributive property is shown at the right.
Look at the rectangle at the right. The area of the biggest rectangle is divided into 4
rectangles. x

Area = length × width

A 1 = x · x = x2
A2 = 3 · x = 3x x x
A3 = 3 · x = 3x
A4 = 3 · 3 = 9 A2 = 3x
A1 = x 2
Area of biggest rectangle is = A1 + A2 + A3 + A4
3 A3 = 3x A4 = 9 3
(x+3) (x+3) = x + 3x + 3x + 9
2

x
= x2 + 6x + 9

Example 2:
(x - 5)2 = (x - 5) (x - 5)
Solution:
= x (x - 5) - 5 (x - 5)
= x2 - 5x - 5x + 25 by distribution property
= x2 – 10 + 25 combining like terms

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 What have you noticed between the first and second examples?
(x – 3)2 and (x – 5)2
If you square a binomial, the product is a trinomial. Relate each term of the product to
each term of the binomial.

(x + 3)2 = _______ (x – 5)2 = ________

x2 = x · x x2 = x · x
6x = 2 (x) (3) -10x = 2 (x) (-5)
9 = (3) (3) 25 = -5 (-5)
(x+3)2 = x2 + 6x + 9 (x – 5)2 = x2 – 10x + 25

The square of a binomial is equal to:

 The square of the first term, plus
 Two times the product of first and second terms, plus
 The square of the second term.
In symbols: if x is the first term, and y is the second term
(x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2
(x – y) = x2 – 2xy + y2
Square of a binomial = Perfect square trinomial

Since all expressions raised to the second power are perfect squares, the product of the
square of a binomial is also a perfect square trinomial.

Lesson 1.2: SQUARE OF A TRINOMIAL

Just like the previous lesson, finding the square of a trinomial is the same way as
multiplying a trinomial by itself.
For example, (x + 2y + 5)2 = (x + 2y +5) (x + 2y + 5).
In multiplying polynomials, always remember the important role of distributive property
of multiplication.

Example 1:
What is the product of (a + b + c)2?
Solution:
(a + b + c)2 = _______
= (a + b + c) (a + b + c)
= a (a + b + c) + b (a + b + c) + c (a + b + c)

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 = a2 + ab + ac + ab + b2 + bc + ac + bc + c2
= a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2ac + 2bc by combining similar terms
Therefore, (a + b + c)2 = a2 + b2 + c2 + 2ab + 2ac + 2bc.

Example 2:
Give the product of (2x + 3y – 5)2.
Solution:
(2x + 3y + -5)2 = (2x + 3y – 5) (2x + 3y – 5)
= 2x (2x + 3y – 5) + 3y (2x + 3y – 5) -5 (2x + 3y – 5)
= 4x2 + 6xy – 10x + 6xy + 9y2 – 15y – 10x – 15y + 25
= 4x2 + 9y2 + 25 + 12xy – 20x – 30y
Therefore, (2x + 3y + -5)2 = 4x2 + 9y2 + 25 + 12xy – 20x – 30y.
Relating the terms in the product and terms in the trinomial:
(2x)2 = 4x2 2 (2x) (3y) = 12xy
(3y)2 = 9y2 2 (2x) (-5) = -20x
(-5)2 = 25 2 (3y) (-5) = -30y

The product of the square of a trinomial is composed of 6 terms.

To square a trinomial –
 Square the first term, plus
 Square the second term, plus
 Square the third term, plus
 Twice the product of the first and second terms, plus
 Twice the product of the first and third terms, plus
 Twice the product of the second and third terms.
In symbols: If x is the first term, y is the second term and z is the third term, then
(x + y + z)2 = x2 + y2+ z2 + 2xy + 2xz + 2yz.

Lesson 1.3: SUM AND DIFFERENCE OF TWO TERMS

The next lesson is about the product of two binomials which are the sum and difference of two
terms.

Example 1:
Find the product of (20 + 5) and (20 – 5).
Solution:

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 (20 + 50) (20 – 5) = ________
(20 + 50) (20 – 5) = 400 – 100 + 100 + 25
= 400 – 25
= 375

Example 2:
Find the product of (3x + 2) and (3x – 2).
Solution:
(3x + 2) (3x – 2) = _________
(3x) (3x) = 9x2
(3x) (-2) = -6x product of outer terms
(+2) (3x) = 6x product of inner terms
(+2) (-2) = -4
Therefore, (3x + 2) (3x – 2) = 9x2 – 4.

Product of the The square of

sum and the first and
difference of the last terms
the binomial of the binomial

To get the product of two binomials which are sum and difference of two terms-
 Square the first term, minus
 The square of the second term
In symbols: If x and y are two terms of the binomials, then (x + y) (x - y) = x2 – y2.

Lesson 1.4: CUBE OF BINOMIAL

The cube of a binomial (x + y) is written as (x + y)3 which means (x + y) (x + y) (x + y).

Example 1:
(x + y)3 = (x + y) (x + y) (x + y)
= (x + y) (x + y)2
= (x + y) (x2 + 2xy + y2)
= x (x2 + 2xy + y2) + y (x2 + 2xy + y2)
= x3 + 2x2y + xy2 + x2y + 2xy2 + y3
= x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3
Therefore, (x + y)3 = x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3.
The product is composed of 4 terms.

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 Example 2:
What about (x – y)3?
(x – y)3 = (x – y) (x – y)2
= (x – y) (x2 +2xy + y2) squaring binomial
= x (x – 2xy + y ) – y (x – 2xy + y ) by DPMA
2 2 2 2

= x3 – 2x2y + xy2 – x2y + 2xy2 + y3

= x3 – 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3 combining similar terms
Therefore, (x – y)3 = x3 – 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3.

To cube a binomial-
1. Cube the first term, plus
2. Three times the square of the first term and the second term, plus
3. Three times the first term and square of the second term, plus
4. Cube the second term.
In symbols:
If x and y are first and second terms of the binomial respectively.
Then, (x + y)3 = x3 + 3x2y + 3xy2 + y3
(x – y )3 = x3 – 3x2y + 3xy2 – y3.

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 Lesson 2 FACTORING

The inverse of multiplying is factoring. In multiplication, you

find the product of the given factors, while in factoring, you find
the factors of a given product.

Example
In 24, the possible pairs of factors are:
4 and 6 or -4 and -6
3 and 8 or -3 and -8
2 and 12 or -2 and -12
1 and 24 or -1 and -24
The factors of 24 are ± {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24}.
Lesson 2.1 FACTORING POLYNOMIALS BY GREATEST COMMON FACTOR (GCF)
In mathematics, there are many ways of solving problems but arriving at only one correct
answer.
Suppose three students are asked to draw rectangles whose area is equal to 24 square
inches. Below are the different ways these students draw the rectangles which give the same
area.
2 in
3 in
12 in
24 in 8 in
1 in

Since 2 × 12, 1 × 24, and 3 × 8 are all equal to 24, each rectangle has an area to 24
square inches.
When two or more numbers are multiplied, each number is a factor of the product.
Some whole numbers have exactly two factors, which is 1 and the number itself. These
numbers are called prime numbers. Whole numbers with more than two factors are called
composite number.

A prime number is a whole number, greater than 1, whose only factors are 1 and the
number itself. A composite number is a whole number, greater than 1, which has more than
two factors.
0 and 1 are neither prime or composite.

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 Example 1:
Factor 20x2y.
Solution:
20x2y = 2 · 2 · 5 · x · x · y
Two or more numbers have some common factors. Consider the prime factors of 90
and 105.
90 = 2 · 3 · 3 · 5 105 = 3 · 5 · 7
The integers 90 and 105 have 3 and 5 as common prime factors. The product of these
two prime factors is called the greatest common factor (GCF) of 90 and 105. Therefore, the
GCF of 90 and 105 is 15.

The greatest common factor of two or more integers is the product of the prime factors
common of the integers.
The GCF of two or more monomials is the product of their common factors, when
each monomial is expressed as a product of prime factors.

Find the GCF of 20a2b and 12a2b3c.

Solution:
Find the prime factors of each monomial.
20a2b =2·2·5·a·a·b
12a2b3c =2·2·3·a·a·b·b·b·c
The GCF is 2 · 2 · a · a · b = 4a2b
If you multiply a monomial by a polynomial, you obtain a product containing common factor.
Lesson 2.2 FACTORING PERFECT SQUARE TRINOMIAL
If you recall our lesson on special products “the square of a binomial is equal to a perfect square
trinomial”
(x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2
(x + y)2 = x2 – 2xy + y2
These patterns can be used to help you factor trinomials.

Example 1:
Find the product of (y + 5)2.
Solution:

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 Finding the product
(y + 5)2 = y2 + 2(y) (5) + 52
= y2 + 10y + 25
Factoring
y2 + 10y + 25 = (y)2 + 2 (y) (5) + (5)2
= (y + 5)2
Now, how do you recognize a trinomial that is a perfect square trinomial?

A trinomial is a perfect square trinomial if:

 The first and third terms are perfect squares.
 The second or middle term is plus or minus twice the product of the square roots of
the first and third terms.

Example 2:
4x2 – 12x + 9 is this a perfect square trinomial? If yes find the factors.
Solution:
4x2 – 12x + 9
Perfect square Perfect square

-2 · √ 4 x 2· √ 9
-2 · 2x · 3 = -12x the middle term
Therefore, 4x2 – 12x + 9 is a perfect square trinomial.
What are the factors?
 Square roots of first and third terms.
√ 4 x 2 = 2x
√9 = 3
 Since the middle term is negative, the factors are-
(2x – 3) (2x – 3) or (2x – 3)2

To factor a perfect square trinomial-

 Determine the square roots of first and third terms.
 If the middle term is negative (-), the factors are the square of the difference of the
square roots of first and third terms. If the middle term is positive (+), the factors
are the square of the sum of the square roots.
x2 + 2xy + y2 = (x + y)2 or (x + y) (x + y)
x2 - 2xy + y2 = (x - y)2 or (x - y) (x - y)

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Lesson 2.3 FACTORING COMPLETELY
Prime factorization or complete factorization is defined as factoring polynomial into prime
factors.
In factoring polynomials-
 The first thing to do is to look for common monomial factor.
 Find out if the resulting expressions can still be factored further.
 Be sure the resulting factors are prime factors.

Example 1:
Factor completely 3x2 + 15x + 18.
Solution:
3x2 + 15x + 18 = 3 (x2 + 5x + 6) 3 is common monomial factor
= 3 (x + 3) (x + 2) factor x2 + 5x + 18.
Therefore, 3x2 + 15x + 18 = 3 (x + 3) (x + 2).

Example 2: Prime Factors

Factor x4 – a4 completely.
Solution:
x4 – a4 = (x2 + a2) (x2 + a2) x4 – a4 is a difference of two squares
= (x2 + a2) (x + a) (x – a) x2 – a2 is a difference of two squares
Therefore, x4 – a4 = (x2 + a2) (x + a) (x – a). prime factors

To factor polynomials completely-

 Remove common monomial factor.
 If the resulting expression is a binomial, find out if you can apply patterns in
factoring binomial.
 Difference of two squares x2 – y2 = (x +y) (x – y)
 Sum of two cubes x3 + y3 = (x + y) (x2 – xy + y2)
 Difference of two cubes x3 + y3 = (x – y) (x2 + xy + y2)
 If the resulting expression is a trinomial, find out if it can be factored applying the
pattern on factoring trinomial.
Perfect Square Trinomial x2 + 2xy + y2 = (x + y) (x + y)
x2 – 2xy + y2 = (x – y) (x – y)
If it is not a perfect square trinomial, use trial and error or grouping.
 Be sure all factors are prime. Factors are not considered correct if they are not
prime.
 Check your answer by multiplication.

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Lesson 2.4 PROBLEM SOLVING INVOLVING SPECIAL PRODUCTS AND
FACTORING
Your knowledge and skills about special products and factoring is not complete unless you apply
them in solving real-life problems.

Here are some suggested steps in solving real-life problems.

 Read and understand the problem
 Determine what is asked in the problem.
 Represent the unknown by variables.
 Form the equation based on the condition given in the problem.
 Solve the equation.
 Check your answer.

Example 1:
What are length and width of a rectangular garden if the length is 5 meters longer than the width?
The area is 126 m2.
Solution:
 Do I understand every word in the problem?
 What is asked in the problem? Length and width
 Let x = the width
x + 5 = the length
 Area of a rectangle = length × width
Area = (x + 5) x
126 = (x + 5) x
x (x + 5) = 126
 Solve the equation.
x2 + 5x = 126
x + 5x – 126
2
= 0
(x + 14) (x – 9) = 0
x + 14 = 0 ; x–9 = 0
x = -14 ; x = 9
Disregard the value of x = -14, because a linear measure is always positive.
Hence: If x = 9, the width
x + 5 = 9 + 5 = 14, the length
 Is my answer correct?
Length × width = 126
9 (14) = 126

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 GUIDED PRACTICE

Activity 1: Multiply me!

Direction: Give the product of the following:

21. (x+10)2 11. (x2+2x-3)2

22. (x-7)2 12. (7a-6b+8c)2

23. (m+6)2 13. (a2+b2+c2)

24. (p+2t)2 14. (p-2q+3r)2

25. (x2-y2)2 15. (5m+2n-p)2

1. (x+1) (x-1) 16. (m-2n)3

17. (5a+2b)3
26. (5x+3) (5x-3)
18. (x2-4)3
27. (m+0.5) (m-0.5)
19. (x2-2y2)3
28. (1/3x2+y) (1/3x2-y)
20. (a-bc)3
29. (20-5b) (20+b)

Activity 2: Is it true or false?

Direction: Write on the blank before the number if the statement is TRUE or FALSE.
______1. (5+p) and (p-5) are two binomials which are sum and difference of two terms.
______2. m4-48 is the difference of two squares.
______3. The sum of 4y and -4y is zero.
______4. (x+5y) (x-5y) = x2-10y2
______5. (m+1) (m-1) = m2-1
Activity 3: Complete me!
Direction: Write each term of the product in the box.
Square of Binomials First Term Middle Term Third Term
1.(a-9)2
2.(3x+1)2

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 3.(x-2y)2
4.(9-y)2
5.(3a-4b)2
1. f2+14f+49 = (f + __)2
Activity 5: Fill Me with Faith
2. a2-8a+16 = (a - __)2
Directions: Supply the missing
3. i4-6i+9 = (i2 - __)2
term to make the statement
true. 4. r2+10r+25 = (t __ 5)2
5. h2-12h+36 = (h - __)2
Activity 6: Factor me!
Direction: Determine the GCF of each set.
1. 30, 50x 7. 4m3, 5m4, 6m5
2. 24x, 36 8. p5q, pq5
3. 22xy, 33x, 55y 9. c3d2, c4d4, c5, d2
4. 25a, 75ab, 100ac 10. 35xz2, 40xz2
5. 6x2, 7x3, 9x4 11. 24h3, 56h2

Activity 6: Perfect or not?

Direction: Determine whether each trinomial is a perfect square or not.
1. x2+2x+1 7. 25x2+20x+9

1. 4+4x+x2 8. a2b2-14ab+49

2. x2-3x+9 9. x2-2x-1

3. 4x2+24x+36 10. 16x2+24x+36

4. m4-10m2+25 11. 10+6y+y2

Activity 7: Perfect Hunt

Direction: Look for the different perfect square trinomials found in the box. Answers might be
written diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Encircle your answers.
25x2 10x 81 18x x2 4

15x 16x2 -24x 9 10x 28x

4x2 -16x 16 15x 25 49x2

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 16x2 49 8x 16 24x2 9

25 14x 8x 40x 30x 10x

7x x2 12x 25x2 40 12x2

Activity 7: How is me?

Direction: Tell what method of factoring is appropriate to use in the following polynomials.
1. x3+2x2 ____________

2. 25x2-9 ____________

3. m2+2mn+n2 ____________

4. x3-8 ____________

5. x2+8x+15 ____________

Activity 8: I can factor too!

Direction: Factor the following polynomials completely.
1. bx2-2b2x-3b3

2. 2x3-8x2+8x

3. x4-16x2

4. 2x2-10x+12

1. 5a2x-30ax+25x

1. The length of the rectangle is (x+6) meters. And the width is (x-
Activity 9: Solve me!
2) meters. Find the area of the rectangle in terms of x.
Direction: Solve the
following problems. 2. Kurts’s father is 2 more than eight times his age. If the product of
their ages in years is 300, how old are they?

3. The sum of the square of two consecutive pages of a book is 145, what are the pages of
the book?

4. Find the volume of a cubic container of water if an edge measures (4x+2) cm.

5. The sum of two numbers is 20 and their product is 75. What are the two numbers?

REFFERENCES:

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 J. Ulpina and L. Razon, Math Builders 8, Jo-es Publishing House, Inc. (2015)
 Foster, Winters, Gell, Rath, and Gordon. Algebra 1 Application and Connection.
Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 1996.
 Jacobs and Treff. Life skills Math. Minnesota: AGS Publishing, 2003.
 Kelly Balomesos, Anderson. College Algebra. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1986.
 Larson, Boswell, Kanold, and Stiff. Algebra 2 Applications, Equations, Graphs.
McDougal Little, 2004.
 Power, Joseph C. and Power, Marie Petranic. Algebra Essentials and Applications.
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2004 printing.
 Swokowski, Dobyns, Brown, and Carns. Precalculus Course in Algebbra and
Trigonometry. Priddle, Weber, & Schmidth, Inc., 1973.

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