Educator

Factoring Trinomials with Leading Coefficient 1

• To factor a trinomial with leading coefficient 1, find two numbers whose sum is equal to the coefficient of the linear term of the trinomial and whose product is equal to the constant term of the trinomial. Use trial and error to do this.

• If all the terms of the trinomial are positive, then all the factors will have positive terms.

• If the constant term is positive and the linear term is negative, the factors will have two negative constant terms.

• If the constant term is negative, the factors will have constant terms that have opposite signs.

• You can solve some quadratic equations by factoring the trinomial and then using the zero product property