Question

help with FOIL factoring? 12z^2 - 35z - 3

Answer 1

You need two factors that multiply to 12z^2:
3z, 4z
z, 12z
are two possibilities.
You also need two numbers that multiply to -3:
3, -1
-3, 1
Now look at the middle term: -35z
Since that's a large number, go with z, 12z for the factors of 12z^2
(12z )(z )
Now you need to place the 3, -1 or -3, 1 to make the middle term, -35z, work.