Question

Will medal factor the trinomal x^2-17x+16
A:(x-2)(x-8)
B:(x-16)(x-1)
C:(x-16)(x+1)
D:(x-4)(x+4)
E: none

Answer 1

Can you think of two numbers that multiply to 16 and at the same time add to -17?

Answer 2

umm not really...

Answer 3

@Alice2112 What is the answer to this: 16 times 1 equals ?

You don't need the Quadratic Formula.

Answer 4

16

Answer 5

Good. What is the product of -16 and -1 ? @Alice2112

Answer 6

i domt know

Answer 7

A negative times a negative is positive. So, -16 times -1 equals +16.

And, -16 + (-1) = -17 so we can begin to factor.

Answer 8

x^2 -17x + 16 = x^2 -16x -1x + 16

Note that the -17x has been rewritten as -16x - 1x

Answer 9

x^2 -16x -1x + 16 = x * (x - 16) -1* *(x - 16)

Answer 10

(x - 16) will be factored out. This is known as factoring by grouping.

Answer 11

= x * (x - 16) -1* *(x - 16)

= (x - 16) [ x - 1]

or

(x - 16) ( x - 1) @Alice2112 which option is this?

Answer 12

B

Answer 13

Correct.

On multiple choice problems like this one, you could multiply out all the options and see which one produces the given equation but that would be a lot of work.

Answer 14

thanks