Question

Please help! :)
Factor the trinomial.
x^2 - 6x + 8

Answer 1

Okay, to factor this we need to find 2 numbers that multiply to give positive 8, yet add to give negative 6.
Well we know two negatives= a positive, so it will be 2 negative numbers. And here -2*-4=8 and -2-4=-6
\((x-2)(x-4)\)

Answer 2

another way to look at it is you are looking for 8
1,2,4,8
the addition sign in front of 8 tells you to add the factors up
1+8=9
2+4=6
this is why we pick 2 and 4
now sign choices are -(-) or +(+) since they produce a positive result
your middle number is -6x that is why we pick (-)(-)
(x-2)(x-4)

Answer 3

thank you both :)

Answer 4

anytime

Answer 5

That is a cool way to think about it, @precal my advanced algebra teacher taught me the way I did it years ago and I have used it since

Answer 6

use whatever works for you....just wanted to give another way to look at it