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

1 Answer
mason m
Dec 14, 2015

#(3x-1)(x-2)#

Explanation:

Find numbers whose...

  • product is the product of the first and last coefficients
  • sum is the middle coefficient

That is, numbers whose product is #6# and sum is #-7#.

These numbers are #-6# and #-1#.

Rewrite #-7x# as #-6x-x#.

#3x^2-6x-x+2#

Factor by grouping.

#(3x^2-6x)+(-x+2)#

#3x(x-2)-1(x-2)#

#(3x-1)(x-2)#

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