Factoring by Grouping
The second type of factoring that we are going to focus on is called Factoring by Grouping
How to Factor by grouping:
1. Look and apply the first rules of factoring by trying to find a least common factor in the equation. If the terms do not have one common factor, try factoring by grouping.
2. Take the four terms and set them aside as pairs. Let's look at an example along the way:
How to Factor by grouping:
1. Look and apply the first rules of factoring by trying to find a least common factor in the equation. If the terms do not have one common factor, try factoring by grouping.
2. Take the four terms and set them aside as pairs. Let's look at an example along the way:
3. Next step is to "group" two terms together by putting parenthesis around them.
4. Find the GCF of EACH group of terms.
5. If the grouping was done correctly then what is left in the parenthesis should be the same. If they are then the final answer is what is in the parenthesis (one of them) multiplied by the combination of the GCFs. So the final answer will look like this:
Now that we have looked at an example please download this worksheet and do the even problems. Due tomorrow.