Main content
Algebra 1
Unit 13: Lesson 6
Factoring quadratics by grouping- Intro to grouping
- Factoring by grouping
- Factoring quadratics by grouping
- Factoring quadratics: leading coefficient ≠ 1
- Factor quadratics by grouping
- Factoring quadratics: common factor + grouping
- Factoring quadratics: negative common factor + grouping
- Creativity break: How can we combine ways of thinking in problem solving?
© 2023 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Factoring by grouping
CCSS.Math: , ,
Learn about a factorization method called "grouping." For example, we can use grouping to write 2x²+8x+3x+12 as (2x+3)(x+4).
What you need to know for this lesson
Factoring a polynomial involves writing it as a product of two or more polynomials. It reverses the process of polynomial multiplication.
We have seen several examples of factoring already. However, for this article, you should be especially familiar with taking common factors using the distributive property. For example, 6, x, squared, plus, 4, x, equals, 2, x, left parenthesis, 3, x, plus, 2, right parenthesis .
What you will learn in this lesson
In this article, we will learn how to use a factoring method called grouping.
Example 1: Factoring 2, x, squared, plus, 8, x, plus, 3, x, plus, 12
First, notice that there is no factor common to all terms in 2, x, squared, plus, 8, x, plus, 3, x, plus, 12. However, if we group the first two terms together and the last two terms together, each group has its own GCF, or greatest common factor:
In particular, there is a GCF of 2, x in the first grouping and a GCF of 3 in the second grouping. We can factor these out to obtain the following expression:
Notice that this reveals yet another common factor between the two terms: start color #a75a05, x, plus, 4, end color #a75a05. We can use the distributive property to factor out this common factor.
Since the polynomial is now expressed as a product of two binomials, it is in factored form. We can check our work by multiplying and comparing it to the original polynomial.
Example 2: Factoring 3, x, squared, plus, 6, x, plus, 4, x, plus, 8
Let's summarize what was done above by factoring another polynomial.
The factored form is left parenthesis, x, plus, 2, right parenthesis, left parenthesis, 3, x, plus, 4, right parenthesis.
Check your understanding
Example 3: Factoring 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, minus, 4, x, plus, 8
Extra care should be taken when using the grouping method to factor a polynomial with negative coefficients.
For example, the steps below can be used to factor 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, minus, 4, x, plus, 8.
The factored form of the polynomial is left parenthesis, x, minus, 2, right parenthesis, left parenthesis, 3, x, minus, 4, right parenthesis. We can multiply the binomials to check our work.
A few of the steps above may seem different than what you saw in the first example, so you may have a few questions.
Where did the "+" sign between the groupings come from?
In step start color #11accd, left parenthesis, 1, right parenthesis, end color #11accd, a "+" sign was added between the groupings left parenthesis, 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, right parenthesis and left parenthesis, minus, 4, x, plus, 8, right parenthesis. This is because the third term left parenthesis, minus, 4, x, right parenthesis is negative, and the sign of the term must be included within the grouping.
Keeping the minus sign outside the second grouping is tricky. For example, a common error is to group 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, minus, 4, x, plus, 8 as left parenthesis, 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, right parenthesis, minus, left parenthesis, 4, x, plus, 8, right parenthesis. This grouping, however, simplifies to 3, x, squared, minus, 6, x, minus, 4, x, start color #ca337c, minus, 8, end color #ca337c, which is not the same as the original expression.
Why factor out minus, 4 instead of 4?
In step start color #11accd, left parenthesis, 2, right parenthesis, end color #11accd, we factored out a minus, 4 to reveal a common factor of left parenthesis, x, minus, 2, right parenthesis between the terms. If we instead factored out a positive 4, we would not obtain that common binomial factor seen above:
When the leading term in a group is negative, we will often need to factor out a negative common factor.
Check your understanding
Challenge problem
When can we use the grouping method?
The grouping method can be used to factor polynomials whenever a common factor exists between the groupings.
For example, we can use the grouping method to factor 3, x, squared, plus, 9, x, plus, 2, x, plus, 6 since it can be written as follows:
We cannot, however, use the grouping method to factor 2, x, squared, plus, 3, x, plus, 4, x, plus, 12 because factoring out the GCF from both groupings does not yield a common factor!
Using grouping to factor trinomials
You can also use grouping to factor certain three termed quadratics (i.e. trinomials) like 2, x, squared, plus, 7, x, plus, 3. This is because we can rewrite the expression as follows:
Then we can use grouping to factor 2, x, squared, plus, start color #11accd, 1, end color #11accd, x, plus, start color #11accd, 6, end color #11accd, x, plus, 3 as left parenthesis, x, plus, 3, right parenthesis, left parenthesis, 2, x, plus, 1, right parenthesis.
For more on factoring quadratic trinomials like these using the grouping method, check out our next article.
Want to join the conversation?
- This may sound a bit dumb, but is there any significant difference between factoring, grouping trinomials, difference of squares, and GCF?(27 votes)
- Nothing significant, but there are important (however small) differences and they are used for different things.(18 votes)
- How would you work out the problem if there were only 3 terms?(13 votes)
- Watch the next video in the series, it shows you how to break the middle term in two parts to get your 4 terms. If you have learned this concept, you are ready to move on to harder things.(4 votes)
- what the meaning of GCF?(2 votes)
- GCF is the abbreviation for Greatest Common Factor.
It is the value that you can evenly divide all terms by. It can be a number, a variable, or a mix of numbers and variables.(18 votes)
- In problem 3, I solved the expression and got the answer (4x+2)(2x+1.5). It said my answer was correct, but when I checked my answer, I got the same expression. What did I do wrong?(5 votes)
- Why are they called quadratics? They are typically trinomials with a leading term raised to the second degree.(1 vote)
- Quadratics actually are derived from the Latin word, 'quadratum', which literally means 'square'.
A quadratic is basically a type of problem that deals with a variable multiplied by itself — an operation known as squaring.
So, you could relate the word quadratic to Latin, not mathematics(5 votes)
- so for your polynomials that you can not use the grouping method for what do you do to solve them ?(2 votes)
- There is a formula for that. Here is the link (for quadratic): https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/quadratics/solving-quadratics-using-the-quadratic-formula/a/quadratic-formula-review(3 votes)
- does it matter if the order is switched around with the answer(2 votes)
- How can I use the distributive property twice?(1 vote)
- Why does it say we cannot use grouping on this one 2x^2+3x+4x+12. It is usable though isn't it? Answer would be (x+2)(2x+3) right?(1 vote)
- Your factors actually don't create the polynomial. If you multiply your factors, you will get: 2x^2+3x+4x+6, which does not match the original polynomial.
Now, how do you know if isn't working before checking the factors by multiplying them.
Pull the GCF from each pair of terms to get:
2x^2+3x+4x+12 = x(2x+3) + 4(x+3)
Notice, the 2 binomials in parentheses do not match. To go to factors from this point, we need to remove a common binomial factor from each term. There is no common binomial factor. This tells use that the polynomial is not factorable.
Hope this helps.(2 votes)
- how do people apply quadratics to everyday life(1 vote)
- Look at how many parabolas there are in architecture. Rockets travel in a parabolic arc. In baseball, they use quadratics to estimate how far a home run would go as well as the launch velocity off the bats.(2 votes)