View Full Version : Factorising
Gringo123
Apr22-10, 07:07 AM
How can I foctorise / factor this given that 25 and 49 share no common factors?
25x2 - 49y2
Mentallic
Apr22-10, 07:17 AM
Note that 25=52 and a^nb^n=(ab)^n
How can I foctorise / factor this given that 25 and 49 share no common factors?
25x2 - 49y2This is a difference of squares.
(a+b)(a-b) = a2-b2
Make sure to make a and b not squared..So instead of 25, 5.
Mentallic
Apr23-10, 03:28 AM
given that 25 and 49 share no common factors?
Neither do x2 and y2 share any common factors, so this should imply you're looking for another factoring method other than finding a common factor. In this case, difference of two squares.
Gringo123
Apr23-10, 04:19 AM
Thanks everyone. So am I right in saying that the answer would be:
(5x - 7y) (5x + 7y)
?
Mentallic
Apr23-10, 06:01 AM
Rather than asking for confirmation from us, why don't you expand your answer to check it?
Thanks everyone. So am I right in saying that the answer would be:
(5x - 7y) (5x + 7y)
?
That would be correct.
Gringo123
Apr24-10, 05:21 PM
Thanks Raid!
Mentallic
Apr25-10, 03:41 AM
If you prefer the easier way out (and the lazy approach at that), that's up to you, but you should reconsider becoming more trusting in yourself and not always of those around you.
In this problem, if you expanded your answer it will confirm whether you factorized correctly or not. In other topics you have been studying, for example the quadratic factoring, if asked to solve
x^2-x-6=0 and you factorize it as so (x-3)(x+2) you can check by expanding, or even plug your values x=3 and x=-2 into the quadratic to see if it's correct.
I'm just saying that there are ways to check your work so you become more independent with your mathematics. Having low confidence in your answers would be bad in tests, considering you're all alone in those situations.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.