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GRADE 9 MATHEMATICS
TERM 2
FORMAL ASSESSMENT TASK INVESTIGATION:
FACTORIZATION

Name: Tshegofatso Moeketsi

_______________________________________________________
9B 1 May 2024
Class: _______________________ Date: ______________________

Total: 50 Marks Time: 1½ hour

Instructions:
1) Write your name and surname in the spaces above.
2) All questions must be answered on the question paper.
3) Show all calculations.
4) You may use an approved calculator.
5) You must do your own work.
6) Check your answers.
7) Show the units of measurement where applicable.
8) All answers must be rounded to one decimal place unless stated otherwise.

1
 ACTIVITY 1
'Factor' is a term used to express a number as a product of any two numbers.
Factorization is a method of finding factors for any mathematical object, be it
a number, a polynomial or any algebraic expression.
Thus, factorization of an algebraic expression refers to finding out the factors
of the given algebraic expression.
Example:
The factors of 10 are 1,2,5, and 10.
An algebraic expression can also be factorized. When the factors are
multiplied they result in the original number or an expression that is
factorized.
Example:
The factors of 7mn2 are m, n, n2, mn, mn2, 1, 7, 7m, 7n, 7n2, 7mn and 7mn2.

1. The following algebraic expression is given:

1.1 Write down all the possible factors for each of the following expressions.
1,3,a,a ,b and 3a b
3𝑎2 𝑏 = ___________________________________________________________(1)
1,2,4,a,b,ab and 4ab
4𝑎𝑏2 = ___________________________________________________________(1)
1.2 Determine the H.C.F. of the algebraic expression.
ab
___________________________________________________________ (1)

2
 Equivalent expressions
Two expressions are said to be equivalent if they have the same value
irrespective of the value of the variable(s) in them.
The algebraic expressions shown below can be described as equivalent
algebraic expressions.
1. 8𝑚 − 16 = 8 ( 𝑚 − 2 )
2. 6𝑎 + 12 = 6( a + 2 )
3. 9𝑎𝑏 + 18𝑎 = 9𝑎 ( 𝑏 + 2 )

1.3 Write the expression 3a2b + 4ab2 as an equivalent algebraic expression.

3ab × a + 4ab²
______________________________________________________
= ab(3a + 4b)
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (2)

1.3 Lucy is given the expression below:

7𝑥 + 35

Explain to Lucy how to find the equivalent expression.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (2)

[Total:7]
ACTIVITY 2
The following algebraic expression is given:

𝒙𝒚 + 𝟓𝒚 + 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎

2.1 What do you notice about all 4 terms?

___________________________________________________ (1)

3
2.2 If we group the first two terms and the last two terms as follows:

(𝒙𝒚 + 𝟓𝒚) + (𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎)

Group 1 Group 2

what do you notice about each group?

Both groups share a common factor
___________________________________________________ (1)

2.3 Factor these values out of each group and then write down the equivalent algebraic
expression.
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (1)

2.4 What is the common factor in the two terms?

___________________________________________________ (1)

2.5 Use the distributive property to factor out this common factor and then express the
polynomial as a product of two binomials.
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (1)
2.6 Joseph wants to factorize the following algebraic expression:

3𝑥 2 + 6x + 4𝑥 + 8

Provide Joseph with a three- step guide on how to factorize the expression.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (3)

[Total:8]

4
 ACTIVITY 3
Factorizing Trinomials in the form: 𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄

𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄
Find two integers, 𝒓 and 𝒔, whose product is 𝒄 and whose sum is 𝒃 to rewrite
the trinomial as:
𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒓𝒙 + 𝒔𝒙 + 𝒄

3.1 Factorizing 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6

3.1.1 What is the value of b and c in the trinomial?

5
b = ___________________________________________________________(1)
-3
c = ___________________________________________________________(1)

3.1.2 Use the table below to determine the two integers, 𝒓 and 𝒔.

Product of the two Sum of the two

Factors of 6 Result
factors factors
1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 6 1 × 6 = 6 1 + 6 = 7 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 = 6 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑚 ≠ 5
−1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 6
2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 3
−2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 3
(3)
Which two integers will correctly provide the values of b and c in the expression
𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6?
b = 5 and c = 6.
_________________________________________________________ (2)

3.1.3 Rewite x 2 + 5x + 6 as an equivalent expression in the form x 2 + rx + sx + 6 .

_________________________________________________________ (1)

3.1.4 Use the knowledge obtained from activity 2 on grouping and the distributive property
to factorize the expression.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (3)

5
3.2 Factorizing 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 – 𝟏𝟐

3.2.1 What is the value of b and c in the trinomial?

1
b = ___________________________________________________________(1)
12
c = ___________________________________________________________(1)

3.2.2 Use the table below to determine the two integers, 𝒓 and 𝒔.

Product of the two Sum of the two

Factors of -12 Result
factors factors

(4)
3.2.3 In the table below, the written explanation of the steps have been provided, show the
mathematical steps for the explanations given.

Factorize x2 + x – 12

Mathematical steps Explanation

x2 + 4x - 3x – 12 Rewrite the middle term of the trinomial
using the values from the chart above.

(x+4x)+3x12 Group pairs of terms.

x(x+4)
Factor out the HCF of the first group.

3(x+4) Factor out the HCF of the second group.

(x+4)(x3) Factor out HCF of the two terms

(x + 4)(x – 3) The final factorized answer
(4)

3.3 Julie wants to factorize the following trinomial 𝑥 2 + 9𝑥 + 20, provide her with 3 easy steps
to follow.
4x + 5x
______________________________________________________
6
 x(x + 4) + 5(x + 4) = (x + 5)(x + 4).
______________________________________________________
(x + 5)(x + 4).
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________(3)

Factorizing Trinomials in the form: 𝒂𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄

Not all trinomials look like 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄, where the coefficient in front of

the 𝒙𝟐 term is 1.

For the trinomials that look like 𝒂𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄 , the first step should be
to look for common factors of the three terms.

3.4.1 Complete the table below by identifying the common factor in each trinomial and then
writing the trinomial by factoring out the common factor.

What is the Write the trinomial with

Trinomial common factor ? the Common Factor
factored out.

2𝑥 2 + 10𝑥 + 12 2 2(𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 6)

−5𝑎2 − 15𝑎 − 10

𝑐 3 – 8𝑐 2 + 15𝑐

(2)

3.4.2 In the table below, the mathematical steps to factorize the trinomial has been provided.
Provide an explanation for each step.

Factorize 3x3 – 3x2 – 90x.

Step Mathematical steps Explanation
1 3(x3 – x2 – 30x) Factor out 3 which is common.
2 3x(x2 – x – 30)
3

3x(x2 – 6x + 5x – 30)
7
 4 3x[(x2 – 6x) + (5x – 30)]
5 3x[(x(x – 6) + 5(x – 6)]
6
3x(x – 6)(x + 5)
7 3x(x – 6)(x + 5) The final answer is written as a product of
factors.
(5)
3.5 Alice was provided with the following trinomial:

3𝐱 𝟐 + 𝟕𝐱 − 𝟏𝟐𝐱 − 𝟑𝟒 − 𝟐𝐱𝟐 + 𝟏0
3.5.1 Provide Alice with a step-by-step guide on how to factorize the algebraic expression.

______________________________________________________
3x^2 - 2x^2 + 7x - 12x - 34 + 10
______________________________________________________
x^2 - 5x - 24
______________________________________________________
(x + 3)(x - 8)
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ (4)

[Total :35]