Question

Select the factors of xy - 4x + 2y - 8.

(x - 2)(y + 4)

(x + 2)(y - 4)

(x - 4)(y + 2)

(x + 4)(y - 2)

Answer 1

@Venny

Answer 2

Since the first and last sign in the equation is negative, we will need the sign in the second parentheses to be negative.
And since the sign in the middle is positive, the sign in the first parentheses needs to be positive.
This narrows it down to 2 choices. Which we can check by foiling
This one is correct!