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10 votes
10 votes
I have this equation that I tried to factor:

2m^2 +7m+6
I got (2m+1)(m+6) because 6*1=6 and 6+1=7
but after confirming it with an algebra solving site, the answer is (2m+3)(m+2)

How would you arrive to this answer? (It would be great if you could explain each step)

User Farukest
by
3.3k points

1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

The first coefficient is 2 and the last term is 6. They multiply to 2*6 = 12.

Now we must find two factors of 12 that add to 7 (the middle coefficient).

Through trial and error, you should find that:

3*4 = 12

3+4 = 7

So 3 and 4 are the numbers we're after. We'll split the 7m into 3m+4m and use the factor by grouping method as shown in the steps below.

2m^2 + 7m + 6

2m^2 + 3m + 4m + 6

(2m^2 + 3m) + (4m + 6)

m(2m + 3) + 2(2m + 3)

(m + 2)(2m + 3)

(2m + 3)(m + 2)

The order of the factors doesn't matter since something like 2*3 is the same as 3*2.

------------------------------------------------

Verifying the answer:

You can use technology like you did to check the answer, but here's one way to do it without a calculator.

(2m + 3)(m + 2)

n(m + 2) ...... let n = 2m+3

mn + 2n .... distribute

m( n ) + 2( n )

m(2m+3) + 2(2m+3) .... plug in n = 2m+3

m*2m + m*3 + 2*2m + 2*3 .... distribute

2m^2 + 3m + 4m + 6

2m^2 + 7m + 6

We arrive back at the original trinomial, so we have confirmed the answer.

User Mamasi
by
2.9k points