How do you factor #3x^2+5x+2#?

1 Answer
May 27, 2015

The only (positive) factors of #3# are #color(blue)(3xx1)#
The only (positive) factors of #2# are #color(red)(2xx1)#
The coefficient of the middle term, #5# can be written as #color(blue)(3) xx color(red)(1) +color(red)(2) xxcolor(blue)(1)#

#3x^2+5x+2 = (color(red)(3x)+color(red)(2))(color(blue)(1x)+color(blue)(1))#