Question

Factor the expression: x^2 + 3x + 2
does this mean just combine like factors?

Answer 1

nope

Answer 2

x^2 + 3x + 2 --> We need to find numbers that multiply to 2 and add up to positive 3

Answer 3

oml lol who invented math -.-

Answer 4

ahem.. 2 * 1 lol

Answer 5

bahaha wait so the answer is just 2?

Answer 6

so the factors are:
(x + 2)(x + 1)

Answer 7

ohhh okay

Answer 8

you seriously have never factored? lol

Answer 9

that is a slight issue lol are you sure you understand that steps?

Answer 10

Nm dont read that lol

Answer 11

so it would be x^2+3x+2?

Answer 12

no we are factoring x^2 + 3x + 2 --> the factors are (x+2)(x+1)

Answer 13

Ohhh ok i understand!

Answer 14

Factoring means undoing a multiplication.
For example, take the number 15.
Factoring 15 into its prime factors means show which prime numbers have a product of 15.
15 = 3 * 5, so the prime factorization of 15 is 3 * 5.

Now let's look at at an expression with a variable, x.
Factor \(x^2 + x\)
You need to find two factors that multiply to \(x^2 + x\)
Since the terms x^2 and x have a common factor, x, you can factor that common factor out:
\(x^2 + x = x(x + 1)\)
This is the factorization of \(x^2 + x\).

Then you can get into factoring expressions like yours.
You have a trinomial, a three-term polynomial, with a squared variable.
\(x^2 + 3x + 2\)
In this case, you look for two number that multiply to the last number, 2, and add to the number of the middle term, 3. In this case the numbers are 2 and 1,
since 2 * 1 = 2, and 2 + 1 = 3.
You write the factorization as
\(x^2 + 3x + 2 = (x = 2)(x + 1)\)