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19 votes
Factor. w2 + 12w - 13

User Sanjsanj
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1 Answer

13 votes
13 votes

Remember that the product of two binomials on a single variable is a trinomial of the form:


(w+a)(w+b)=w^2+(a+b)w+ab

Comparing with the coefficients of the trinomial:


w^2+12w-13

We should find two numbers a and b such that a+b=12 and a*b=-13.

Since the product a*b is negative, one number should be negative and the other should be positive. Notice that 13+(-1)=12 and (13)(-1)=-13. Then those numbers are 13 and -1. Therefore:


w^2+12w-13=(w+13)(w-1)

User Adam Reis
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