College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

Factoring
Greatest Common Factor

ax k
The monomial
is called the greatest common factor (GCF) of a polynomial in x
with integer coefficients if both of the following are true:
a is the greatest integer factor common to all of the polynomial coefficients
k is the smallest exponent on x found in all of the terms of the polynomial

14 x 2 y 2 10 xy 3
1)

2)

30 x 4 20 x 3 10 x 2

Factoring Formulas: Special Polynomial Forms

a 2 b 2 (a b)(a b)
Difference of Two Squares

a 2 2ab b 2 (a b)2
Perfect Squares

a 2 2ab b 2 (a b) 2
Sum of Two Cubes

a 3 b3 (a b)(a 2 ab b 2 )
Difference of Two Cubes

a 3 b3 (a b)(a 2 ab b 2 )

1)

4)

x2 9

x 2 8 x 16

2)

4x2 9

144 81y 2
3)

y 2 10 y 25
5)

4 x 2 12 xy 9 y 2
6)

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

7)

t 3 27

y 3 64
8)

9)

27 8x 3

Factoring a Trinomial whose leading coefficient is 1

1)

x2 6x 5

y2 2 y 3
2)

y 2 10 y 9
3)

Factoring a Trinomial whose leading coefficient is not 1

2 y2 5 y 3
1)

2)

3t 2 7t 2

3)

4 x 2 2 x 12

Factoring by Grouping
1)

x3 x 2 2 x 2

Rational Expressions
Operation
Multiplying Rational
Expressions
Dividing Rational
Expressions

Example

2
3x
6x

x 1 x 1 ( x 1)( x 1)
2
3x

x 1 x 1
2 x 1

x 1 3x
2( x 1)

3x( x 1)

Note
State domain
restrictions.
When dividing rational
expressions, remember
to check for additional
domain restrictions
once the division is
rewritten as
multiplication by a
reciprocal.

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II
Adding/Subtracting
rational expressions
with no common factors

The least common

denominator (LCD) is
the product of the two
denominators.

2
3x

x 1 x 1
2( x 1) 3x( x 1)

( x 1)( x 1)

2 x 2 3 x 2 3x
( x 1)( x 1)

3x 2 5 x 2

( x 1)( x 1)
(3 x 1)( x 2)

( x 1)( x 1)
LCD:(x+1)(x1)
Adding and subtracting
rational expressions
with common factors

3
2

x( x 1) x( x 2)
3( x 2) 2( x 1) 3 x 6 2 x 2

x( x 1)( x 2)
x( x 1)( x 2)
x4

x( x 1)( x 2)

The LCD is the product

of each of the distinct
factors raised to the
highest power that
appears in any of the
denominators.

Reduce the Rational Expression to lowest terms.

( x 3)( x 9)
2( x 3)( x 9)
1)

Multiply the rational expressions and simplify.

2)

(2t 1)(t 2)
4t 8

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

1)

3)

x 2 3x 5

x 1 x 2

t 2 t 6 8t

t 2 4 2t 2

4( x 2)( x 5)
16 x

8x
( x 5)( x 5)
2)

4)

3x 2 15 x 2 x 2 7 x 15

2 x 3 50 x 3x 2 15 x

Divide the rational expressions and simplify.

1)

1
5
2
x 1 x 1

2)

x 2 4 x 21 x 2 2 x 63

x 2 3 x 10 x 2 x 20

Add or subtract the rational expression and simplify.

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

1)

3)

5)

3 2

x 5x

7
5

2x 1 1 2x

x 1 x 6

x 2 x2 4

3
5p

p 2 p 1
2)

3y2 1 2 y

y 1 y 1
4)

7
6)

2x
x 3

Factoring
1)

2x2 9x 5

2)

6 x 2 19 x 7

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

3)

5)

7)

16 x 2 25

x3 125

2 x 2 4 x 2 30 x

Simplify

9)

t2 t 6
t2 t 2

Perform the indicated operation and simplify.

10)

x 2 3x 10 x 2 x 2

x2 2 x 3 x2 x 6

4)

6)

8)

9 x 2 30 x 25

1 8x 3

2 x3 x 2 6 x 3

College Algebra & Trig

Chapter 0 Review Part II

11)

12)

13)

x2 x 2
x 1
2
3
2
x 3x
x 2x

1
x3

x 1 x 4

3 x
x

2x 1 x 1