Intermediate Algebra for College Students (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-13417-894-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-13417-894-3

Chapter 5 - Section 5.4 - Factoring Trinomials - Exercise Set - Page 361: 9



Work Step by Step

The leading coefficient is 1. Thus, to factor the trinomial, look for the factors of the constant term whose sum is equal to the coefficient of the middle term. Note that: $15=-5(-3)$ and that $-5+(-3)=-8$ Thus, the factors we are looking for are $-5$ and $-3$. This means that factors of the given trinomial are: $=(x-5)(x-3)$ Check: $(x-5)(x-3) \\=x(x-3)-5(x-3) \\=x^2-3x-5x+15 \\=x^2-8x+15$
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