MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
L.O. To be able to
Factorise an expression into a single bracket
Factorise a quadratic
Factorise the difference of two squares
Key Words
factorise, expand, factor, HCF, product, sum,
Starter
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
CONTENTS – Click to go to…
SINGLE BRACKETS QUADRATICS ()
QUADRATICS () DIFFERENCE OF TWO SQUARES
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
FACTORISING –
SINGLE BRACKETS
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Skills check
Find the highest common factor (HCF) for the following pairs
of numbers?
a) 10 and 8
b) 4 and 12
c) 12 and 18
d) 24 and 16
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Factorise
Means PUT IN BRACKETS
Is the opposite of expanding
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of
each term and circle the common letters that can be
paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for
each term inside the brackets
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of each term and circle the
common letters that can be paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for each term inside the brackets
Example - Factorise
1 × 16 16x + 20y 1 × 20
2×8 2 × 10
4×4
x y 4×5
= 4 ( 4x + 5y )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - Factorise
a) 12t + 9 = ( + )
b) 5r + 15 = ( + )
c) 8f – 12 = ( - )
d) 6g – 9 = ( - )
e) 18k + 24 = ( + )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - Factorise
(a) 4x + 8 (a) 4(x + 2)
(b) 6x + 27 (b) 3(2x + 9)
(c) 15x - 18 (c) 3(5x - 6)
(d) 40 + 16x (d) 8(2x + 5)
(e) 20p - 25 (e) 5(4p - 5)
(f) 8x + 12y - 20 (f) 4(2x + 3y - 5)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - Factorise
3(x+2) 5(x+3) 4(x+5)
1) 3x + 6 2) 5x + 15 3) 4x + 20
4) 7x + 14 7(x+2) 5) 10x + 10 10 ( x + 1 ) 6) 9x + 36 9(x+4)
7) 6x – 12 6(x-2) 8) 5x – 30 5(x-6) 9) 8x – 40 8(x-5)
10) 9x – 18 9(x-2) 11) 3x – 15 3(x-5) 12) 4x – 16 4(x-4)
13) 8x + 12 4 ( 2x + 3 ) 14) 12x – 20 4 ( 3x - 5 ) 15) 6x + 8 2 ( 3x + 4 )
16) 9x + 15 3 ( 3x + 5 ) 17) 4x – 14 2 ( 2x - 7 ) 18) 10x – 18 2 ( 5x - 9 )
19) 14x + 20 2 ( 7x + 10 ) 20) 15x – 40 5 ( 3x - 8 )
21) 16x + 30 2 ( 8x + 15 )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of each term and circle the
common letters that can be paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for each term inside the brackets
Example - Factorise
5ab – a
1 ×5 1 ×1
ab a
= 1a ( 5b - 1 )
= a ( 5b - 1 )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - Factorise
a) bc+ b = ( + )
b) ad + 2a = ( + )
c) 9h – gh = ( - )
d) r² – 7r = ( - )
e) p² + 20p = ( + )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of each term and circle the
common letters that can be paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for each term inside the brackets
Example - Factorise
1 × 12
12x + 7x2
1 ×7
2×6 x xx
3×4
= 1x ( 12 + 7x )
= x ( 12 + 7x )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of each term and circle the
common letters that can be paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for each term inside the brackets
Example - Factorise
1 × 18
18x2 + 24x3 1 × 24
2 × 12
2×9 xx xxx 3×8
3×6
4×6
= 6x2 ( 3 + 4x )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise completely
(a) x2 + 8x = x(x + 8)
(b) 2x2 - 4x = 2x(x - 2)
(c) 15x2 - 10x = 5x(3x - 2)
(d) 12x2 + 18x = 6x(2x + 3)
(e) 9y2 + 3y = 3y(3y + 1)
(f) 10k + 15k2 = 5k(3k + 2)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise fully
1. 4x + 8
2. 9x + 15
3. 5x² + 7x
4. 4x² - 12x
5. 6x³ - 21x²
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Step-by-step
Decide what is going to be on the outside of your brackets
Check NUMBERS – find the HCF of any numbers
Check LETTERS – write out the letter combinations of each term and circle the
common letters that can be paired
Write the necessary number and the leftover letters for each term inside the brackets
1 × 33
Example - Factorise 3 × 11 1 × 44
2 × 22
1 × 22 22x2y3 + 33x3y2 + 44x4y 4 × 11
2 × 11
xxyyy xxxyy xxxxy
= 11x2y ( 2y2 + 3xy + 4x2 )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise completely
(a) x2 + 6x = x(x + 6)
(b) x3 - 7x = x(x2 - 7)
(c) 9ax - 12a = 3a(3x - 4)
(d) 6a2b2 + 3ab = 3ab(2ab + 1)
(e) p3q - 8pq = pq(p2 - 8)
(f) 3a3x3 - 3a2x2 = 3a2x2(ax - 1)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise fully
1) 12x2 + 12x 12x ( x + 1 ) 2) 15x3 – 20x2 5x2 ( 3x - 4 )
3) 8ax – 10ax 2 2ax ( 4 – 5x ) 4) 4ah + 8a h
3 2 2 4ah2 ( h + 2a )
5) 12abc + a b
2 ab ( 12c + a ) 6) 7w t – 13 wt
3 2 wt ( 7w 2
t – 13 )
7) 5x2y + 10x2yz – 30x2y3 5x2y ( 1 + 2z – 6y2 )
8) 6a3b2c + 8ab2c2 + 12a2b + 2ab 2ab ( 3a2bc + 4bc2 + 6a + 1 )
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - factorising homework
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
FACTORISING
QUADRATICS ()
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Skills check
Expand and simplify
a) (2d + 4) (5d + 2)
b) (7f + 10) (f + 8)
c) (8h + 2) (3h -5)
d) (9k – 4) (2k + 1)
e) (3t – 6) (2t – 3)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Quadratics
A quadratic expression is an expression in which the highest
power of the variable is 2. For example,
t 2
x2 – 2, w2 + 3w + 1, 4 – 5g2 ,
2
The general form of a quadratic expression in x is:
ax2 + bx + c (where a ≠ 0)
x is a variable.
a is a fixed number and is the coefficient of x2.
b is a fixed number and is the coefficient of x.
c is a fixed number and is a constant term.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Factorising
Remember: factorising an expression is the opposite of expanding it.
Expanding or multiplying out
(a + 1)(a + 2) a2 + 3a + 2
Factorising
When we expand an expression we remove the brackets.
When we factorise an expression we write it with brackets.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Quadratic expressions of the form x2 + bx + c can be factorised if
they can be written using brackets as
(x + d)(x + e)
where d and e are integers.
If we expand (x + d)(x + e) we have,
(x + d)(x + e) = x2 + dx + ex + de
= x2 + (d + e)x + de
Comparing this to x2 + bx + c we can see that:
The sum of d and e must be equal to b, the coefficient of x.
The product of d and e must be equal to c, the constant term.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Factorising quadratics – basic
x2 + bx + c
Write down all pairs of numbers which MULTIPLY to make c
Remember to consider all different combinations of + and – signs
Choose the pair which also ADD to make b
Example
Factorise +1 +18
-1 -18
+2 +9
+ 3= + 6 -2 -9
+3 +6
-3 -6
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – Factorise
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – Factorise
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise
2
1. x + 6x + 8 (x + 4)(x + 2)
2
2. x + 6x + 9 (x + 3) 2
2
3. x + 13x + 12 (x + 12)(x + 1)
2
4. x + 8x + 12 (x + 6)(x + 2)
2
5. x + 7x + 12 (x + 3)(x + 4)
2
6. x + 9x + 14 (x + 7)(x + 2)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – Factorise
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – Factorise
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – Factorise
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task - Factorise
(a) x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 1)(x + 2)
(b) x2 + 11x + 10 = (x + 10)(x + 1)
(c) x2 + 3x - 10 = (x + 5)(x - 2)
(d) x2 + x - 12 = (x + 4)(x - 3)
(e) x2 - 6x + 9 = (x - 3)(x - 3)
(f) x2 - 13x + 12 = (x - 1)(x - 12)
(g) y2 - 5y - 24 = (y + 3)(y - 8)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorising quadratics
x² + 7x + 10 x² + 20x + 96 x² + 4x + 3 x² + 5x - 6
x² + 7x + 12 x² + 16x + 63 x² + 11x + 28 x² – 2x - 35
x² + 8x + 15 x² + 23x + 132 x² + 8x + 15 x² – 2x – 15
x² + 10x + 21 x² + 36x + 155 x² + 9x + 20 x² – 7x + 12
x² + 8x + 12 x² + 17x + 72 x² + 14x + 48 x² – 9x + 20
y² + 12y + 35 y² + 14y + 48 x²- 3x – 10 x² – 7x + 6
y² + 11y + 24 y² + 21y + 98 x² + x – 6 x² – x – 132
y² + 10y + 25 y² + 24y + 128 x² – 2x – 35 x² – 22x + 117
y² + 15y + 36 y² + 41y + 420 x² – 5x – 24 x² + x – 156
y² + 14y + 45 y² + 56y + 663 x² – 6x + 8 x² - 49
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – SOLUTIONS
(x + 5)(x + 2) (x + 12)(x + 8) (x + 3)(x + 1) (x + 6)(x – 1)
(x + 3)(x + 4) (x + 7)(x + 9) (x + 4)(x + 7) (x – 7)(x + 5)
(x + 5)(x + 3) (x + 12)(x+11) (x + 5)(x + 3) (x – 5)(x + 3)
(x + 3)(x + 7) (x + 31)(x + 5) (x + 4)(x + 5) (x – 3)(x – 4)
(x + 6)(x + 2) (x + 8)(x + 9) (x + 6)(x + 8) (x – 4)(x – 5)
(y + 7)(y + 5) (y + 6)(y + 8) (x – 5)(x + 2) (x – 6)(x – 1)
(y + 8)(y + 3) (y + 14)(y + 7) (x + 3)(x – 2) (x – 2)(x+11)
(y + 5)(y + 5) (y + 16)(y + 8) (x – 7)(x + 5) (x – 9)(x–13)
(y + 12)(y + 3) (y + 20)(y+21) (x – 8)(x + 3) (x–12)(x+13)
(y + 9)(y + 5) (y + 39)(y+17) (x – 2)(x – 4) (x – 7)(x + 7)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
FACTORISING
QUADRATICS ()
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Factorising quadratics – challenging
METHOD 1 – by inspection
ax2 + bx + c
Write down all possible combos of brackets and signs
Write a list of all possible factors that will MULTIPLY to make c
Use trial and error to find the correct placement in the correct brackets
6x2 - x - 12
1 and - 12
= (6x + )(x - 4) -12 and 1
2 and - 6
= (x + 3)(6x - 4)
6 and -2
= (3x + 3)(2x
4)(2x - 4)
3) 3 and - 4
4 and -3
= (2x + 3)(3x - 4)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using inspection
Factorise 4x2 + x - 5
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using inspection
Factorise 5x2 - 44x + 32
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using inspection
Factorise 6x2 - x - 12
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Factorising quadratics – challenging
METHOD 2 – the “ac” method
ax2 + bx + c
Multiply by . Find the pair of factors of which also ADDs to make
Re-write the original, splitting the middle term into two bits, using the factor pair
you chose
Factorise each half into a single bracket, then factorise again
1. Multiply a and c (6 x 4) = 24 and find the two numbers
6x + 11x + 4
2
whose product is 24 and whose sum is 11.
2. These are 3 and 8.
6x2 + 3x + 8x + 4
3. Re-write the expression splitting the bx term into two
3x(2x + 1) + 4(2x + 1) components using these factors.
4. Factorise in pairs taking the HCF of each.
(2x + 1) (3x + 4)
5. The factor in brackets is common to both.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using the “ac” method
Factorise 4x2 + x - 5
1. Multiply a and c (4 x -5) = -20 and find the two
4x + x - 5
2
numbers whose product is -20 and whose sum is 1.
2. These are 5 and -4.
4x + 5x - 4x + 5
2
3. Re-write the expression splitting the bx term into two
components using these factors.
x(4x + 5) - 1(4x + 5)
4. Factorise in pairs taking the HCF of each.
(4x + 5) (x - 1)
5. The factor in brackets is common to both.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using the “ac” method
Factorise 5x2 - 44x + 32
1. Multiply a and c (5 x 32) = 160 and find the two
5x - 44x + 32
2
numbers whose product is 160 and whose sum is -44.
2. These are -4 and -40.
5x - 4x - 40x + 32
2
3. Re-write the expression splitting the bx term into two
components using these factors.
x(5x - 4) - 8(5x - 4)
4. Factorise in pairs taking the HCF of each.
(5x - 4) (x - 8)
5. The factor in brackets is common to both.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Example – using the “ac” method
Factorise 6x2 - x - 12
1. Multiply a and c (6 x -12) = -72 and find the two
6x2 - x - 12 numbers whose product is -72 and whose sum is -1.
2. These are -9 and 8.
6x - 9x + 8x - 12
2
3. Re-write the expression splitting the bx term into two
components using these factors.
3x(2x - 3) + 4(2x - 3)
4. Factorise in pairs taking the HCF of each.
(2x - 3) (3x + 4)
5. The factor in brackets is common to both.
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Factorise each expression
(a) 8x2 + 10x + 3 = (2x + 1)(4x + 3)
(b) 6x2 + 31x + 40 = (3x + 8)(2x + 5)
(c) 8x2 - 10x - 3 = (4x + 1)(2x - 3)
(d) 5x2 - 16x + 3 = (5x - 1)(x - 3)
(e) 9x2 + 6x - 8 = (3x + 4)(3x - 2)
(f) 12x2 + x - 1 = (3x + 1)(4x - 1)
(g) 24y2 - 55y - 24 = (8y + 3)(3y - 8)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
DIFFERENCE OF TWO
SQUARES
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
The difference of two squares
If you have an expression in the form x2 – a2
where a is a square number
then x2 - a2 = (x + a)(x – a)
Example - Factorise
x2 - 36 = (x + 6)(x – 6)
a=6
Task - Factorise
1. x2 - 9 2. x2 - 64 3. x2 - 144 4. x2 - 400
(x + 3)(x – 3) (x + 8)(x – 8) (x + 12)(x – 12) (x + 20)(x – 20)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – Difference of two squares
x² – 36 p² – q²
x² – 49 a² – b²
x² – 81 4x² – 9
x² – 121 16a² – 100
x² – 144 9y² – 1
x² – 1 121x² – 400
x² – 4 4x² – 64y²
x² – 9 64 – x²
x² – 400 10000 – x²
x² – 10000 (x+1)² – 4
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
Task – SOLUTIONS
(x + 6)(x – 6) (p + q)(p – q)
(x + 7)(x – 7) (a – b)(a + b)
(x + 9)(x – 9) (2x – 3)(2x + 3)
(x + 11)(x – 11) (4a + 10)(4a – 10)
(x + 12)(x – 12) (3y – 1)(3y + 1)
(x + 1)(x – 1) (11x +20)(11x –20)
(x + 2)(x – 2) (2x – 8y)(2x + 8y)
(x + 3)(x – 3) (8 + x)(8 – x)
(x + 20)(x – 20) (100 – x)(100 + x)
(x + 100)(x – 100) (x – 1)(x + 3)
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
MATHSWATCH CLIP
01/07/2025 Factorising 94, 157, 158, 192
GRADE
3, 5, 7
