Factoring

Factor out the GCF

from all terms

How many terms are

we working with?

2 3 4

Is each term a Is there a coefficient on the

square or a cube? squared term?

Cube Square No Yes

Is it a sum or a Use a pattern: Find the pair of numbers 1. Multiply the

difference? whose product equals coefficients of the first
a2 − b2 = the third term and whose and third terms.
Sum Difference sum equals the
(a + b)(a − b)
coefficient of the middle
term. These numbers go
here… 2. Find the pair of
Use a pattern: numbers whose
product equals the
(x )( x ) number from step 1
a3 − b3 =
and whose sum equals
(a − b)(a 2 + ab + b 2 ) the coefficient of the
middle term.

Use a pattern: 3. Replace the middle term with two new terms
whose coefficients are the numbers found in part 2.
a3 + b3 =
(a + b)(a 2 − ab + b 2 )
Factor by grouping:
Take out the common factor from the first pair.
Take out the common factor from the second pair.
Your leftover parts from each pair must be identical.
This is one factor of your answer. The other factor
in your answer is made of the sum of the common
factors taken out from each pair.