How do you factor a perfect square trinomial # 16x^2 − 24x − 9#?

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Answer 1 · 2015-06-14T21:25:04

This trinomial can't be factored

D = b^2 - 4ac = 576 + 576 = 1152 is not a perfect square. Therefor, this trinomial can't be factored.

Answer 2 · 2015-06-14T21:28:23

#16x^2-24x-9# is not a perfect square trinomial. The sign of the constant term is wrong.

#16x^2-24x-9 = (4x-3+3sqrt(2))(4x-3-3sqrt(2))#

Perfect square trinomials are of the form:

#a^2+-2ab+b^2 = (a+-b)^2#

It is still possible to factor #16x^2-24x-9#

#16x^2-24x-9 = (4x-3+3sqrt(2))(4x-3-3sqrt(2))#