Factor completely: 36x^4 - 4x ^2

Question

anonymous · Answer

@texaschic101 can you help me again?

texaschic101 · Answer

largest number that goes into 4 and 36 ?

texaschic101 · Answer

and what is the smallest x ?

anonymous · Answer

4 and the smallest x is x^2

texaschic101 · Answer

so lets factor that out....can you try it ?

texaschic101 · Answer

how many times does 4 go into 36 and what do you get when you subtract x^4 - x^2

anonymous · Answer

4x^2(36x^2 - 4) is that  right?

anonymous · Answer

oh wait it is just 4x^2(36x^2) right?

texaschic101 · Answer

not 36x^2.....how many times does 4 go into 36 ? And how many times does 4x^2 go into 4x^2 ?

anonymous · Answer

oh yeah 9x^2 i did it in my head but forgot to write it down lol, and 4x^2 goes into 4x^2 1 time

anonymous · Answer

so it is 4x^2(9x^2 - 1) ?

texaschic101 · Answer

let me show you...
36x^4 - 4x^2
we can factor out 4x^2
4x^2(9x^2 - 1)
4x^2 goes into 36x^4 giving you 9x^2 and 4x^2 goes into 4x^2 one time.

you got it :)

texaschic101 · Answer

and you can check your answers by distributing your 4x^2 trough the parenthesis and you will get the original problem :)

anonymous · Answer

YAY lol and that cannot be factored anymore right? So that is the final answer?

texaschic101 · Answer

no...that is not the final answer
4x^2(3x - 1)(3x + 1)

texaschic101 · Answer

sorry...I didn't catch that at first

anonymous · Answer

its okay i totally forgot 9 is divisible by 3 lol thank you again for the help! I have more questions too

texaschic101 · Answer

Go to this website and click factor and it will give you the answer, however it will not tell you how to do it unless you get a membership http://www.quickmath.com/webMathematica3/quickmath/algebra/factor/basic.jsp

anonymous · Answer

Awesome thank you!!

texaschic101 · Answer

no problem.....you really should learn how to factor rather then just get the answer, so I would use that website just to check your answers. Unless you want to buy the membership

anonymous · Answer

yeah i know what you mean. When someone walks me through the steps thats how i learn the most!!

texaschic101 · Answer

I understand...that is so true

anonymous · Answer

Can you help me also with: Factor Completely: 16x^2 - 24x + 9?

anonymous · Answer

@texaschic101

texaschic101 · Answer

(4x - 3)(4x - 3) or (4x - 3)^2

anonymous · Answer

whoa did you solve it? is that the answer?

anonymous · Answer

@texaschic101

texaschic101 · Answer

yes...that is the answer....I would put (4x - 3)^2

anonymous · Answer

me too haha thank you I also have another one i tagged you in that i don't get at all and would need to be walked through it. Did you see it?

anonymous · Answer

I wrote it again incase you didn't see it!!