Lesson 2

In Launch you practised your factoring skills. The patterns you used to factor differences of squares and trinomials in previous math courses can be applied to polynomial expressions that have a quadratic form. Can you see the quadratic form in this polynomial?

 

4(x + 2)2 − 9(x − 1)2

 

This polynomial is actually a difference of squares.

 

Try This 2 will help you factor polynomials with a quadratic form by applying the factoring methods reviewed in Launch.

 

Try This 2

 

The table shows two columns. The left column shows a trinomial, or difference of squares, that should look familiar to you. The right column shows a corresponding polynomial in the same quadratic form.

 

Examples of Quadratic Expressions	Examples of Polynomial Expressions with a Quadratic Form
4x2 − 9y2	4(x + 2)2 − 9(x − 1)2
x2 − 3x + 2	(a2)2 − 3(a2) + 2
3x2 + 8x − 3	3(x − 1)2 + 8(x − 1) − 3

1. Factor each quadratic expression in the column on the left using an appropriate factoring strategy.
   
   
2. Adapt the same strategy to factor the corresponding polynomial expression in the column on the right. Leave your answer in factored form.