Special Factoring Patterns

1
Special Factoring Patterns

• Students will be able to recognize and use
  special factoring patterns

2
Difference of Squares

• The difference of squares is a perfect square
  minus a perfect square, such as
• a2 b2
• This can be factored into the sum and the
  difference of the two square roots, or
• (a b)(a b)
• So we can factor any polynomial that fits this
  pattern as
• a2 b2 (a b)(a b)

3
Perfect Square Trinomial

• The other special factoring pattern is called the
  perfect square trinomial. Every binomial
  multiplied by itself fits this pattern.
• First term is a perfect square.
• Last term is a perfect square.
• Middle term is formed by doubling the product of
  the first and last term square roots.
• Example

4
Examples

• Find the binomial factors for the following, if
  possible
• 4.
• 5.
• 6.

Cannot be factored
Cannot be factored