Verify the Trinomial Factorization: x²-5x+6 = (x-5)(x+6)

Question

Determine whether the given expression is correct:

x25x+6=0 x^2-5x+6=0

is (x5)(x+6) (x-5)(x+6)

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:14 Let's check if our factorization is correct.
00:22 First, let's examine the trinomial coefficients.
00:27 We need to find two numbers.
00:37 Their sum should equal B, and their product should be C.
00:42 These are the numbers we're looking for.
00:50 So, these are the numbers we'll use in the parentheses.
00:59 The trinomial factorization we did doesn't match the given one.
01:04 And that's how we find the solution!

Step-by-Step Solution

Apply quick trinomial factoring to try and factor the given expression:

x25x+6 x^2-5x+6

Look for a pair of numbers whose product is the free term in the expression, and their sum is the coefficient of the first power term in the expression, meaning two numbers m,n m,\hspace{2pt}n that satisfy:

mn=6m+n=5 m\cdot n=6\\ m+n=-5\\ From the first requirement mentioned, namely- from the multiplication, we should note that the product of the numbers we're looking for needs to yield a positive result. Therefore we can conclude that both numbers have the same signs, according to multiplication rules. Remember that the possible factors of 6 are 2 and 3 or 6 and 1. This satisfies the second requirement mentioned. Together with the fact that the signs of the numbers we're looking for are equal to each other leads us to the conclusion that the only possibility for the two numbers we're looking for is:

{m=3n=2 \begin{cases} m=-3\\ n=-2 \end{cases}

Therefore we proceed to factor the given expression to:

x25x+6(x3)(x2) x^2-5x+6 \\ \downarrow\\ (x-3)(x-2)

Clearly the factorization suggested in the problem is incorrect.

Therefore- the correct answer is answer B.

Note:

The given question could also be solved by expanding the parentheses in the suggested expression:

(x5)(x+6) (x-5)(x+6) (using the expanded distributive property), and checking if indeed we obtain the given expression:

x25x+6 x^2-5x+6 , However it is of course preferable to try to factor the given expression- for practice purposes.

Answer

Not true