How do you factor the trinomial #b^2 - 5bf -14f^2#?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Apr 16, 2016

#(b-7f)(b+2f)#

Explanation:

Noting that
#color(white)("XXX")(color(cyan)(-7))xx(color(brown)(+2)) = (color(red)(-14))#
and
#color(white)("XXX")(color(cyan)(-7))+(color(brown)(+2))=(color(blue)(-5))#

#b^2color(blue)(-5)bfcolor(red)(-14)f^2#
#color(white)("XXX")=(bcolor(cyan)(-7)f)(bcolor(brown)(+2)f)#

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