Precalculus (6th Edition) Blitzer

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-13446-914-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-13446-914-0

Chapter P - Section P.5 - Factoring Polynomials - Exercise Set - Page 68: 21

Answer

$(x-5)(x-3)$

Work Step by Step

RECALL: A quadratic trinomial $x^2+bx+c$ (with a leading coefficient of 1) can be factored as a product of two binomials if $c$ has factors $d$ and $e$ whose sum is equal to the coefficient of the middle term ($b$). The factored form of the trinomial is $(x+d)(x+e)$. Example: $x^2+3x+2$ can be factored as a product of two binomials since $2=2(1)$ and $2+1=3$, the middle term's coefficient. The given trinomial has a leading coefficient of 1 and has $c=15$. Note that $15=-5(-3)$ and $-5+(-3)=-8$, the middle term's coefficient. Thus, the factored form of the trinomial is $(x-5)(x-3).$
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