Math 114N Week 3 Discussion: Special Factoring Strategies

Initial Post Instructions

This week we continue our study of factoring. As you become more familiar with factoring, you will notice there are some special factoring problems that follow specific patterns. These patterns are known as:

• a difference of squares;
• a perfect square trinomial;
• a difference of cubes; and
• a sum of cubes.

Choose two of the forms above and explain the pattern that allows you to recognize the binomial or trinomial as having special factors. Illustrate with examples of a binomial or trinomial expression that may be factored using the special techniques you are explaining. Make sure that you do not use the same example a classmate has already used!