Question

How do you factor `a^2+11 ab+30b^2`?

Answer 1

`y = a^2 + 11ab + 30b^3`= (a - p)(a - q)
Find p and q by composing factor pairs of `(30b^2)` -> (2b, 15b)(5b, 6b).
Then p = 5b and q = 6b.

y = (a + 5b)(a + 6b)

Check:`y = a^2 + 6ab + 5ab + 30b^2`. OK