Factorization is the main key to solving more complex exercises than those you have studied up to today.
Factorization helps to solve different exercises, among them, those that have algebraic fractions.
In exercises where the sum or difference of their terms equals zero, factorization allows us to see them as a multiplication of 0 0 and thus discover the terms that lead them to this result.

For exercises composed of fractions with expressions that may seem complicated, we can break them down into factors, reduce them, and thus end up with much simpler fractions.

Suggested Topics to Practice in Advance

  1. Factoring using contracted multiplication
  2. Factorization
  3. Extracting the common factor in parentheses
  4. Factorization: Common factor extraction
  5. Factoring Trinomials
  6. Algebraic Fractions
  7. Simplifying Algebraic Fractions
  8. Factoring Algebraic Fractions
  9. Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Fractions
  10. Multiplication and Division of Algebraic Fractions

Practice Uses of Factorization

Examples with solutions for Uses of Factorization

Exercise #1

Find the value of the parameter x.

(x5)2=0 (x-5)^2=0

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We will factor using the shortened multiplication formulas:

a2b2=(ab)(a+b) a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b) (ab)2=a22ab+b2 (a-b)^2=a^2-2ab+b^2

(a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2 (a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2

Let's remember that there might be more than one solution for the value of x.

According to one solution, we'll take the square root:

(x5)2=0 (x-5)^2=0

x5=0 x-5=0

x=5 x=5

According to the second solution, we'll use the shortened multiplication formula:

(x5)2=x210x+25=0 (x-5)^2=x^2-10x+25=0

We'll use the trinomial:

(x5)(x5)=0 (x-5)(x-5)=0

x5=0 x-5=0

x=5 x=5

or

x5=0 x-5=0

x=5 x=5

Therefore, according to all calculations, x=5 x=5

Answer

x=5 x=5

Exercise #2

Find the value of the parameter x.

x225=0 x^2-25=0

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We will factor using the shortened multiplication formulas:

a2b2=(ab)(a+b) a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b) (ab)2=a22ab+b2 (a-b)^2=a^2-2ab+b^2

(a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2 (a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2

Let's remember that there might be more than one solution for the value of x.

According to the first formula:

x2=a2 x^2=a^2

We'll take the square root:

x=a x=a

25=b2 25=b^2

We'll take the square root:

b=5 b=5

We'll use the first shortened multiplication formula:

a2b2=(ab)(a+b) a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b)

x225=(x5)(x+5)=0 x^2-25=(x-5)(x+5)=0

Therefore:

x+5=0 x+5=0

x=5 x=-5

Or:

x5=0 x-5=0

x=5 x=5

Answer

x=5,x=5 x=5,x=-5

Exercise #3

Find the value of the parameter x.

2x27x+5=0 2x^2-7x+5=0

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We will factor using trinomials, remembering that there is more than one solution for the value of X:

2x27x+5=0 2x^2-7x+5=0

We will factor -7X into two numbers whose product is 10:

2x25x2x+5=0 2x^2-5x-2x+5=0

We will factor out a common factor:

2x(x1)5(x1)=0 2x(x-1)-5(x-1)=0

(2x5)(x1)=0 (2x-5)(x-1)=0

Therefore:

x1=0 x-1=0 x=1 x=1

Or:

2x5=0 2x-5=0

2x=5 2x=5

x=2.5 x=2.5

Answer

x=1,x=2.5 x=1,x=2.5

Exercise #4

Solve for x.

x27x12=0 -x^2-7x-12=0

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

First, factor using trinomials and remember that there might be more than one solution for the value of x x :

x27x12=0 -x^2-7x-12=0

Divide by -1:

x2+7x+12=0 x^2+7x+12=0

(x+3)(x+4)=0 (x+3)(x+4)=0

Therefore:

x+4=0 x+4=0

x=4 x=-4

Or:

x+3=0 x+3=0

x=3 x=-3

Answer

x=3,x=4 x=-3,x=-4

Exercise #5

Find the value of the parameter x.

(x4)2+x(x12)=16 (x-4)^2+x(x-12)=16

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's open the parentheses, remembering that there might be more than one solution for the value of X:

(x4)2+x(x12)=16 (x-4)^2+x(x-12)=16

x28x+16+x212x=16 x^2-8x+16+x^2-12x=16

2x220x=0 2x^2-20x=0

2x(x10)=0 2x(x-10)=0

Therefore:

x10=0 x-10=0

x=10 x=10

Or:

2x=0 2x=0

x=0 x=0

Answer

x=0,x=10 x=0,x=10

Exercise #6

Find the value of the parameter x.

2x(3x)+(x3)2=9 -2x(3-x)+(x-3)^2=9

Video Solution

Answer

x=0,x=4 x=0,x=4

Exercise #7

Find the value of the parameter x.

12x39x23x=0 12x^3-9x^2-3x=0

Video Solution

Answer

x=0,x=1,x=14 x=0,x=1,x=-\frac{1}{4}

Exercise #8

Find the value of the parameter x.

(x+5)2=0 (x+5)^2=0

Video Solution

Answer

x=5 x=-5

Exercise #9

A right triangle is shown below.

x>1


Calculate the lengths of the sides of the triangle.

x+9x+9x+9x+2x+2x+2x+10x+10x+10

Video Solution

Answer

5,12,13 5,12,13

Exercise #10

A right triangle is shown below.

x>1

Find the lengths of the sides of the triangle.

x+2x+2x+2xxxx+4x+4x+4

Video Solution

Answer

6,8,10 6,8,10

Exercise #11

In front of you is a square.

The expressions listed next to the sides describe their length.

( x>-4 length measurements in cm).

Since the area of the square is 36.

Find the lengths of the sides of the square.

363636x+4x+4x+4

Video Solution

Answer

6

Exercise #12

In front of you is a square.

The expressions listed next to the sides describe their length.

( x>-2 length measurements in cm).

Since the area of the square is 16.

Find the lengths of the sides of the square.

161616x+2x+2x+2

Video Solution

Answer

4

Exercise #13

In front of you is an isosceles right triangle.

The expressions listed next to the sides describe their length.

( x>-8 length measurements in cm).

Since the area of the triangle is 32.

Find the lengths of the sides of the triangle.

323232x+8x+8x+8

Video Solution

Answer

8,8,82 8,8,8\sqrt{2}

Exercise #14

In front of you is an isosceles right triangle.

The expressions listed next to the sides describe their length.

( x>-5 length measurements in cm).

Since the area of the triangle is 12.5.

Find the lengths of the sides of the triangle.

12.512.512.5x+5x+5x+5

Video Solution

Answer

5,5,52 5,5,5\sqrt{2}

Topics learned in later sections

  1. Solving Equations by Factoring