Factor the quadratic
x^2+12x+11

Question

Factor the quadratic
x^2+12x+11

mathmale · Answer

It helps to be able to recognize what kind of trinomial you have.  Yours is not a perfect square, but it does have whole number zeros/roots.

When a trinomial such as this one begins with x^2, that means it will likely factor into two binomial factors:  (x-a)*(x-b).

Now look at that last term, the 11.  What are whole number factors of 11?

anonymous · Answer

Nothing because it's prime..

mathmale · Answer

Sorry.  I disagree.

anonymous · Answer

Oh, uhm... 1 and 11... Sorry aha

mathmale · Answer

Every number, including prime numbers such as 11, has 1 as a factor.

mathmale · Answer

So now you have x^2 + 12x + 11 = (x -   )*(x -   ).  Fill in the blanks.  Be sure to check your factors before telling me what you got.

anonymous · Answer

Um,  x^2 + 12x + 11 = (x -  11 )*(x - 1  )

mathmale · Answer

Have you checked your factors by multiplying them together (possibly using the FOIL method)?

anonymous · Answer

Okay so what we do is we use a Square chart to check our answers such as this one, (Give me a sec to draw it)

anonymous · Answer

|dw:1395362716414:dw|