ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos

See All

Factoring Polynomials by Grouping 10286 Views

Share It!

Description:

Factoring polynomials by grouping is easy. You just combine like terms and then factor them out. Ta da!

Language:

English Language

Subjects:

Polynomials / Factoring Polynomials

Tags:

Common Core Standards:

Transcript

00:04
Factoring Polynomials by Grouping, a la Shmoop.
00:08
Grunkle, Goblinville's newest Architect, is having trouble constructing a hovel.
00:13
His hovel... looks like this:
00:15
If he doesn't finish it by sundown, he will look like this:
00:20
Can you help Grunkle simplify his blueprints?

00:23
The area of the hovel floor should be x2 + 3x + 2x + 6.
00:28
All those polynomials are making Grunkle rather blue.
00:32
Which is unfortunate, since Grunkle is usually a lovely emerald green.
00:35
Good thing we can factor this polynomial by grouping.
00:39
The first two terms have a common factor of x
00:42
and the last two terms have a common factor of 2.
00:45
We can rewrite the polynomial as x times x + 3 + 2 times x + 3.
00:55
See another factor we can pull out?
00:57
Since both terms have x plus 3 as a factor, we can pull out an x plus 3 from each.
01:04
This gives us (x + 2) times (x + 3).
01:08
Happy factorization, Grunkle!
01:10
All you have to do now is look at your blueprint to see what x is.
01:14
And x equals... the length of a ferocious jungle jabberwocky.
01:18
Sorry, you're on your own.
Full Transcript