UNIT 1 – Algebraic Skills Textbook: Pearson: Foundations for College Math

Date Lesson Text TOPIC Homework

Introduction WS 1.1
1.1 Look over Website, complete
Sept. 6
info sheet/get permission to
post marks signed and bring $.
Multiplying Binomials WS 1.2
1.2
Sept. 7

Special Binomial Products WS 1.3

1.3
Sept. 8

Simplifying Polynomial Expressions WS 1.4

1.4
Sept. 9

Common Factoring WS 1.5

1.5
Sept. 12

Factoring x2 + bx + c WS 1.6
1.6
Sept. 13

Factoring ax2 + bx + c WS 1.7

1.7
Sept. 14

Special Factors WS 1.8

1.8
Sept. 15

Factoring Work Period WS 1.9

1.9
Sept. 16

Solving Quadratic Equations WS 1.10

1.10
Sept. 19

Review for Unit 1 Test WS 1.11

1.11
Sept. 20

1.12
Sept. 22 TEST # 1
MAP 4C Lesson 1.2 Multiplying Binomials

Binomial – a polynomial with two terms separated by an addition or subtraction sign. ie: 2a – b, 3x + 2y

When multiplying binomials, each term in the first binomial must be multiplied by each term
in the second binomial.

ie: 

3x  2 y  x  4 y  = (3x)(x) + (3x)(–4y) + (2y)(x) + (2y)(–4y)

= 3x2 – 12xy + 2xy – 8y2

= 3x2 – 10xy – 8y2

The acronym F.O.I.L. is often used to remember how to multiply binomials.

First terms ie: (3x)(x) = 3x2
Outer terms ie: (3x)(–4y) = –12xy
Inner terms ie: (2y)(x) = 2xy
Last terms ie: (2y)(–4y) = – 8y2

Squaring a binomial means to multiply the binomial by itself.

ie: (2x – 3)2 = (2x – 3)(2x – 3) = 4x2 – 12x + 9

Squaring a binomial does not mean to square each term of the binomial.

ie: (2x – 3)2  (2x)2 – (3)2 THIS IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ex. 1 Expand and simplify the following pairs of binomials.

a) (2x + 5)(4x - 3) b) (a + 2b)(a + 2b)

c) (5m – 6n)(2m + 5n) d) (-x + 3y)(3x – y)

Ex. 2 For the rectangle shown below,

5x - 1

2x + 3

a) find a simplified expression b) find the area if x = 5.

for the area of the rectangle.

Ex. 3 For the rectangle shown below,

3x + 4y

y 2x - y

a) find a simplified expression b) find the area if x = 3 and y = 2.

for the shaded area.

WS 1.2
MAP 4C Lesson 1.3 Special Binomial Products

Perfect Square Trinomials

When we square a binomial, ie: (a  b) we create a special trinomial called a perfect square trinomial.
2

Trinomial – a polynomial with three terms separated by an addition or subtraction signs.

ie: 2a – b + c, 3x2 + 2xy + 6y2, or 8a2 – 7a + 12

Any perfect square trinomial is in the form (a  b) 2  a 2  2ab  b 2 .

For example, if you expand (multiply) (2x + 3)2 you get 4x2 + 12x + 9. If we let a = 2x and b = 3,

and use (a  b) 2  a 2  2ab  b 2 , we get (2x)2 + 2(2x)(3) + (3)2

= 4x2 + 12x + 9

However it is just as easy to simply by expanding as you would any binomial.

Ex. Expand and simplify each of the following.

a) (2 x  1) b) ( x  3)
2 2

c) ( 2 x  3 y ) d) (3 x  2)
2 2

e) (2m  5n) f) (4a  3b)

2 2
Difference of Squares - The square of one quantity (like b²) being subtracted from the square of another
quantity (like a²). It will have the appearance a² - b².

A difference of squares is the result when we find the product of two binomials
in the form (a  b)(a  b) .

For example, x  y x  y  = (x)(x) + (x)(–y) + (y)(x) + (y)(–y)

= x2 – xy + xy – y2
= x2 – y2

Ex. Expand and simplify each of the following.

a) (2 x  1)(2 x  1) b) ( x  5)( x  5)

c) (3x  2)(3 x  2) d) (5 x  4)(5 x  4)

e) (1  x)(1  x) f) (7 x  8)(7 x  8)

WS 1.3
MAP 4C Lesson 1.4 Simplifying Polynomial Expressions

When simplifying polynomial expressions, remember to follow the order of operations (BEDMAS) at all times.

Ex. Simplify each of the following.

a) 5x – 3x(4x – 2) b) 10 – 7(2x + 5) + 12x

c) ) (p + 2)(p – 5) – (p + 3) d) 4(n – 3) – 5(2n + 1)

e) 2m(m – 2) – (3m + 1)(m – 3) f) (y – 4)(y + 4) + (2y + 1)(y – 2)

 g) (x + 3)(2x – 1) – 2(x – 1)

h) (4x + 7)(4x – 7) – (2x – 3)2

i) 3(2n – 5)(2n + 5) – (n – 4)2

Ex. Find a simplified expression to represent the grey area.

WS 1.4
MAP 4C Lesson 1.5 Common Factoring

Factoring is the opposite of expanding.

Expanding allows you to write a product as a sum/difference

ie: 3(x + 2) = 3x + 6

Factoring allows you to write a sum/difference as a product

ie: 4x + 8 = 4(x + 2)

Common Factoring – the opposite of the distributive property.

-find the largest term that is common to all terms in the polynomial

-for variables, choose the lowest degree of the variable that is in all
terms

-for coefficients, choose the largest number that can divide evenly
into all coefficients.

Ex. Factor completely.

a) 4a – 12 b) 8xy – 20y c) 3x2y3 – 8x4y2 + 12x2y2

d) -27x2 – 9x + 3 e) -5x3 + 10x5 f) 12p4 – 8p3 + 6p

g) -8d2 – 16d3 + 24cd – 28d4

WS 1.5
MAP 4C Lesson 1.6 Factoring Trinomials in the form x2 + bx + c

Factoring is the opposite of expanding.

Expanding changes a product of terms into a sum/difference of terms.

ie: (x – s)(x – t) = x2 + bx + c

Factoring changes a sum/difference of terms into a product of terms

ie: x2 + bx + c = (x – s)(x – t)

Ex. 1 a) Expand each of the following.

i) (x + 6)(x + 1) ii) (x + 5)(x – 2) iii) (x – 3)(x – 4)

b) Compare the constant term of the trinomial to the constant terms of the binomials. What do you notice?

FOR (x – s)(x – t), c =

c) Compare the coefficient of x in the trinomial to the constant terms of the binomials. What do you notice?

FOR (x – s)(x – t), b =

Ex. 2 Predict the coefficient of x (b) and the constant term of the trinomial (c) produced by each pair of

binomial factors. Then expand to check your prediction.

a) (x + 3)(x – 5) b) (x + 10)(x - 4) c) (x – 8)(x – 1)

b= b= b=

c= c= c=

So, when factoring a trinomial in the form x2 + bx + c into the form (x – s)(x – t), you are
trying to find two numbers, s and t, so that:

s+t= and sxt =

This method of factoring is called the product-sum-factor method, (PSF), because you are looking

for two factors with a product of c and a sum of b.

Ex. 3 Factor completely.

a) x2 – x – 2 b) x2 – 4x – 12 c) b2 – 12b + 20

d) a2 + 15a + 36 e) a2 – 21a + 110 f) x2 + 7x – 18

g) 3a2 + 6a – 144 h) 5x2 + 10x – 15 i) a2 + 16ab – 260b2

j) x3 + 27x2 – 58x k) 2x2 + 14x + 24 l) x4 + x3 – 12x2

WS 1.6
MAP 4C Lesson 1.7 Factoring Trinomials in the form ax2 + bx + c, a  1

When factoring a trinomial in the form ax2 + bx + c, a  1, there are a number of methods to use to
accomplish your goal.

Whenever a trinomial has a value of a  1, the first thing you should do is determine if it can be common
factored. If it cannot, you must use another method to factor the trinomial.

I. Decomposition

Ex. 1 Factor each of the following completely.

a) 3x2 + 11x + 6

b) 12x2 – 25x + 12

c) 35x2 – 27x - 18
II. Inspection (Guess and Check)

Ex. 2 Factor each of the following completely.

a) 7x2 + 19x – 6

b) 5x2 – 14x + 8

c) 2a2 – 11a + 12
Ex. 3 Factor each of the following completely.

a) 6x2 + 26x – 20

b) 16a2 – 50a + 36

c) 4x3 + 32x2 + 60x

WS 1.7
MAP 4C Lesson 1.8 Special Factors

Difference of Squares

Expand and simplify each of the following.

a) (x – 3)(x + 3) b) (2x – 1)(2x + 1) c) (3x + 2)(3x – 2)

What do you notice about each of the answers from the above examples?

In general, a difference of squares is factored: a2 – b2 = (a – b)(a + b)

Ex. 1 Factor each of the following completely.

a) x2 – 25 b) 4x2 – 81

1 4 2 4 2
c) 25x4 – 49y2 d) w x  y
9 25

e) 12x2 – 3y6 f) 256x8 - 81

Perfect Square Trinomials

Expand and simplify each of the following.

a) (x + 3)2 b) (2x – 1)2 c) (3x – 2)2

Notice that each of the above expand into the form a2  2ab + b2.

ie: (x + 3)2 where a = x and b = 3 expands to x2 + 6x + 9.

So, a2 = (x)2 = x2

2ab = 2(x)(3) = 6x

b2= (3)2 = 9

So, we can say that if a trinomial is in the form a2  2ab + b2 it is a perfect square
trinomial.
It can be factored into the form (a  b)2.
It can still be factored using methods learned previously, but it is quicker if you
recognize a perfect square trinomial.

Ex. 1 Factor each of the following completely.

a) 4x2 + 12x + 9 b) 25x2 – 40x + 16

c) x4 – 12x2 + 36 d) 12x2 + 60x + 75

WS 1.8
MAP 4C Lesson 1.10 Solving Quadratic Equations

y
The solutions to a quadratic equation are the values of x at which the
graph of the quadratic cross the x–axis. (or the axis of the
5

4
independent variable.)
3

–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x
–1

–2

–3

–4

–5

Every quadratic equation has 2 solutions, however, those two solutions may be the same value or both of them may
be imaginary numbers. (ie: not real numbers)

The solutions of a quadratic equation are also known as ROOTS or ZEROS.

ALGORITHM

 Rearrange, if necessary, so that the equation is equal to zero

 Factor the quadratic.

 Set each factor equal to zero.

 Solve for the variable.

 Check your answers in the original equation to determine if LS = RS.

Ex. Solve each of the following.

a) (x + 1)(x – 2) = 0 b) x(x – 3) = 0
c) y2 – 3y = -2 d) 3(x2 + x) + 1 = -x

e) 2t2 = -11t – 5 f) 2y2 – 3y = 2

g) 10x2 – 16x = -6 h) 5n2 – 8n = 0

WS 1.10