Question

Bo factored x2 – 10xy + 16y2 as follows:

Line 1 x2 – 10xy + 16y2
Line 2 x2 – 8xy – 2xy + 16y2
Line 3 x(x – 8) – 2y(x – 8y)
Line 4 prime
A. Did Bo correctly factor the polynomial? Justify your response by explaining why it is is factored correctly or by showing the correct solution if it is not factored correctly.
B. Explain how you would know if a polynomial of the form ax2 + bxy + cy2 was prime.

Answer 1

Bo didnt because the correct way is x(x – 8y) – 2y(x – 8y)
then the best solution will be x2 – 10xy + 16y2 = (x - 2y) (x - 8y)
it is not prime

b) ax2 + bxy + cy2 was prime? if both a and c are prime then the polynomial is prime like X2+5 is prime

Answer 2

line 2 and 3 are wrong

Answer 3

In the last step he made x^2-8xy into x(x-8), when he really should have made it into x(x-8y), resulting the factored polynomials to be...(x-8y)(x-2y).