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Expanding and factoringAlgebraHigh schoolabout 0:59

Factor x^2 - 3x - 28: animated lesson

A narrated, step-by-step expanding and factoring video lesson with captions. Final answer: (x - 7)(x + 4).

Video with a synthetic English voice and captions. Pick another language for subtitles in that language, or open the interactive version.

Video narrated by a synthetic voice (Piper TTS, en_US-ljspeech-high voice (LJ Speech dataset, public domain)); the steps come from our maths engine and the answer was checked independently. Download MP4 (0.4 MB) · Captions (WebVTT)

Steps on screen

  1. 1. The problem
    Worked example
    x2−3x−28x^{2} - 3x - 28
  2. 2. Step by step
    1. x2−3x−28x^{2} - 3x - 28
      Write the polynomial in standard form
    2. x2−3x−28=1x2+4x−7x−28x^{2} - 3x - 28 = 1x^2 + 4x - 7x - 28
      Use the AC method
    3. Factor by grouping
    4. (x−7)(x+4)(x - 7)(x + 4)
      Write the complete factorization
  3. 3. The answer
    (x−7)(x+4)(x - 7)(x + 4)

    x^2 - 3x - 28 = (x - 7)(x + 4)

  4. 4. Check
    • Expanding (x - 7)(x + 4) gives back x^2 - 3x - 28.

Transcript

The problem. Here is the problem: x squared minus 3x minus 28. Factor a polynomial over the rational numbers.

Step by step. Write the polynomial in standard form. Use the AC method. Multiply a times c equals 1 times negative 28 equals negative 28. Find two numbers whose product is negative 28 and whose sum is b equals negative 3: 4 and negative 7. Factor by grouping. Group the first two and last two terms, factor each group, then factor out the common binomial. The roots are negative 4 and 7. Write the complete factorization.

The answer. So the answer is (x minus 7)(x plus 4). x squared minus 3x minus 28 factors completely over the rationals as (x minus 7)(x plus 4).

Check. Expanding (x minus 7)(x plus 4) gives back x squared minus 3x minus 28.

About expanding and factoring

Expand products of brackets and factor polynomials completely.

Factor x^2 - 3x - 28: Animated Step-by-Step Lesson