How do you factor the trinomial #p^2 - 6p - 40#?

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Answer 1 · 2018-04-01T19:40:52

#(p-10)(p+4)#

We need to find two numbers that sum up to #-6# and their product is #-40#.

Since their product is negative, we know the signs have to be different. Through some trial and error, we arrive at #-10# and #4#, as

#-10+4=-6# and

#-10*4=-40#

Therefore, these will be our two factors. We have:

#(p-10)(p+4)#

You can verify this by distributing to each term or using FOIL.

Hope this helps!