Question

How do you factor the trinomial `x^2-5xy-6y^2`?

Answer 1

`(x + y) (x - 6y)`

Explanation:

Hi. I don't know how to explain this. I just end up with that answer. :)

The general expression for factoring is that if the factors are `(x+a)*(x+b)` the trinomial is `x^2 +(a+b)x + ab`. The addition of the second variable y does not invalidate this.
By inspection `a = -6` and `b = 1`