{"id":16297,"date":"2019-10-03T03:06:05","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T03:06:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-developmentalemporium\/chapter\/why-it-matters-factoring\/"},"modified":"2020-07-02T02:47:59","modified_gmt":"2020-07-02T02:47:59","slug":"why-it-matters-factoring","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-rockland-developmentalemporium\/chapter\/why-it-matters-factoring\/","title":{"raw":"Why It Matters: Factoring","rendered":"Why It Matters: Factoring"},"content":{"raw":"

Why learn how to factor polynomials?<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4913\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"239\"]\"Car Moving Madness[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way you organize your belongings when you move can have a huge impact on the success of your move. \u00a0For example, you wouldn't want to try and move all your things using only shoeboxes. \u00a0Not only would it take forever, you probably own things that are larger than a shoebox. Storing and sorting the nuts and bolts in your toolshed is very different from storing and sorting all of your possessions when you move.\r\n\r\nIn this module, we will present\u00a0some factoring techniques for polynomials that will help you solve polynomial equations. Factoring is a complementary operation to the distributive property, it is a way to \"unpack\" the multiplication done by applying the distributive property. Reorganizing polynomials by factoring allows us to find solutions for certain types of polynomials.\r\n\r\nYou may be thinking, we already know how to solve linear equations, why don't we just use the same techniques for solving polynomial equations? Let's investigate the example below to see why\u00a0we need different\u00a0techniques for solving polynomial\u00a0equations than for\u00a0solving linear\u00a0equations with an example.\r\n\r\nSolve the following second degree polynomial equation:\u00a0[latex]x^2+6x-7=2x-4[\/latex]\r\n\r\nWe use complementary operations to isolate the variable when we solve linear equations, so we will try to do the same with this polynomial equation.\r\n

[latex]\\begin{array}{l}x^2+6x-7=2x-4\\\\\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{-2x}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{-2x}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\\\x^2+4x-7=-4\\\\\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{+7}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{+7}\\\\x^2+4x=3\\end{array}[\/latex]<\/p>\r\n

Ok, now what? \u00a0We could try dividing all the terms by [latex]4[\/latex] to isolate [latex]x[\/latex], but we would still have [latex]x^2[\/latex]. We will need different techniques than we use for solving linear equations to solve this equation. There are many methods for solving different kinds of polynomials using algebraic principles, but the truth is that most polynomials cannot be solved with\u00a0the algebra we have used here.<\/p>\r\n

At the end of this module, we will share some of the practical uses for solving polynomials that occur in our everyday lives. \u00a0Polynomials are everywhere!\u00a0They appear in electrical circuitry, mechanical systems, population ecology, roller coaster design, classrooms around the US, and even in the way Google's search engine ranks pages.<\/p>","rendered":"

Why learn how to factor polynomials?<\/h2>\n
\"Car<\/p>\n

Moving Madness<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The way you organize your belongings when you move can have a huge impact on the success of your move. \u00a0For example, you wouldn’t want to try and move all your things using only shoeboxes. \u00a0Not only would it take forever, you probably own things that are larger than a shoebox. Storing and sorting the nuts and bolts in your toolshed is very different from storing and sorting all of your possessions when you move.<\/p>\n

In this module, we will present\u00a0some factoring techniques for polynomials that will help you solve polynomial equations. Factoring is a complementary operation to the distributive property, it is a way to “unpack” the multiplication done by applying the distributive property. Reorganizing polynomials by factoring allows us to find solutions for certain types of polynomials.<\/p>\n

You may be thinking, we already know how to solve linear equations, why don’t we just use the same techniques for solving polynomial equations? Let’s investigate the example below to see why\u00a0we need different\u00a0techniques for solving polynomial\u00a0equations than for\u00a0solving linear\u00a0equations with an example.<\/p>\n

Solve the following second degree polynomial equation:\u00a0[latex]x^2+6x-7=2x-4[\/latex]<\/p>\n

We use complementary operations to isolate the variable when we solve linear equations, so we will try to do the same with this polynomial equation.<\/p>\n

[latex]\\begin{array}{l}x^2+6x-7=2x-4\\\\\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{-2x}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{-2x}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\\\x^2+4x-7=-4\\\\\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{+7}\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\,\\underline{+7}\\\\x^2+4x=3\\end{array}[\/latex]<\/p>\n

Ok, now what? \u00a0We could try dividing all the terms by [latex]4[\/latex] to isolate [latex]x[\/latex], but we would still have [latex]x^2[\/latex]. We will need different techniques than we use for solving linear equations to solve this equation. There are many methods for solving different kinds of polynomials using algebraic principles, but the truth is that most polynomials cannot be solved with\u00a0the algebra we have used here.<\/p>\n

At the end of this module, we will share some of the practical uses for solving polynomials that occur in our everyday lives. \u00a0Polynomials are everywhere!\u00a0They appear in electrical circuitry, mechanical systems, population ecology, roller coaster design, classrooms around the US, and even in the way Google’s search engine ranks pages.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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CC licensed content, Original<\/div>