Question

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

Answer 1

@texaschic101 can you help me again?

Answer 2

largest number that goes into 4 and 36 ?

Answer 3

and what is the smallest x ?

Answer 4

4 and the smallest x is x^2

Answer 5

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

Answer 6

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

Answer 7

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

Answer 8

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

Answer 9

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

Answer 10

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

Answer 11

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

Answer 12

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 :)

Answer 13

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

Answer 14

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

Answer 15

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

Answer 16

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

Answer 17

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

Answer 18

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

Answer 19

Awesome thank you!!

Answer 20

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

Answer 21

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

Answer 22

I understand...that is so true

Answer 23

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

Answer 24

@texaschic101

Answer 25

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

Answer 26

whoa did you solve it? is that the answer?

Answer 27

@texaschic101

Answer 28

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

Answer 29

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?

Answer 30

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