Factoring by Grouping

Topics for Today:

We continued our discussion of factoring polynomials today with a brief review of the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and how we can divide the GCF out of a polynomial by using the distributive property in reverse.

Over the next several days we will tackle factoring of many different scenarios.  Factoring by grouping is a method that is used to deal with polynomials that have more than three terms.  Most people are familiar with factoring trinomials (3-terms), so when we are faced with more factors, our options are limited for how we can proceed.

In factoring by grouping, we will take two sets of two terms and pull out/factor out a GCF.  The goal is to have a leftover quantity for both groups that match one another.  If we do get our desired outcome, then we can further factor out the quantity, leaving us with a product of two binomials.

Sections Covered in Textbook:

9-8:  Factoring by Grouping (pages 496-501)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) How do you factor a 4-term polynomial by grouping?
2) The easiest way to factor a polynomial with four terms by grouping.