How do you factor the expression $x^2 + 6x – 7$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2015-12-31T15:45:08

You use the sum-product method.

This means that you factor $-7$ and see what factors add up to the sum of $+6$ .

The only ways you can factor:
$-7=(-1)(+7)=(+1)(-7)$

Only the factors $-1$ and $+7$ add up to $+6$

So you get: $=(x-1)(x+7)$

How do you factor the expression x^2 + 6x – 7x^2 + 6x – 7?