Question

How do you factor the trinomial `2x^2-7x+3`?

Answer 1

(2x-1)(x-3)

Explanation:

First look at your "a" variable. Since it is 2, that means that one factor will be 2x and the other will be x. Now look at your "c" variable and since it is the prime number 3, you now know one factor in it and the other will have a 1. Now looking at your "b" variable, you can see it is negative and go back to your 3 and 1 and make them negative. Knowing that you have to get 7 for your "b" variable, you now know that 3 must be in the factor that doesn't have 2x in it, in order to get a larger number when multiplied.