How do you factor the expression #3x^2 - 7x - 6#?

1 Answer
Rachel
Feb 25, 2016

#(x-3)(3x+2)#

Explanation:

We start with #3x^2-7x-6#. In order to factor this, we need to find the numbers that add to -7 and multiply to -18. I found #2# and #-9# to be the only solution for those parameters. Now, we factor by grouping, like this:

#(3x^2+color(white)(..))(color(white)(..)-6)#, which we fill in the blank spaces with the #2# and #-9#.

#(3x^2-9x)(2x-6)#, which we can factor to become #3x(x-3)# and #2(x-3)#. we can simplify these expressions to be only #(3x+2)(x-3)#.

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