Difference between revisions of "Factoring"

Revision as of 16:07, 21 June 2006

Note to readers and editers: Please fix up this page by adding in material from Joe's awesome factoring page.

Difference of Squares

$a^2-b^2=(a+b)(a-b)$

Difference of Cubes

$a^3-b^3=(a-b)(a^2+ab+b^2)$

Sum of Cubes

$a^3+b^3=(a+b)(a^2-ab+b^2)$

Simon's Trick

See Simon's Favorite Factoring Trick (This is not a recognized formula, please do not quote it on the USAMO or similar national proof contests)

Summing Series

Also, it is helpful to know how to sum arithmetic series and geometric series.

Vieta's/Newton Factorizations

These factorizations are useful for problem that could otherwise be solved by Newton sums or problems that give a polynomial, and ask a question about the roots. Combined with Vieta's formulas, these are excellent factorizations that show up everywhere.

$\displaystyle (a+b+c)^2=a^2+b^2+c^2+2(ab+bc+ca)$

$\displaystyle (a+b+c)^3=a^3+b^3+c^3+3(a+b)(b+c)(c+a)$

$\displaystyle (a+b+c)^5=a^5+b^5+c^5+5(a+b)(b+c)(c+a)(a^2+b^2+c^2+ab+bc+ca)$

Another Useful Factorization

$a^3+b^3+c^3-3abc=(a+b+c)(a^2+b^2+c^2-ab-bc-ca)$

Practice Problems

Prove that $n^2 + 3n + 5$ is never divisible by 121 for any positive integer ${n}$
Prove that $2222^{5555} + 5555^{2222}$ is divisible by 7 - USSR Problem Book
Factor $(x-y)^3 + (y-z)^3 + (z-x)^3$

Other Resources

More Common Factorizations.

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 == Another Useful Factorization ==
 <math>a^3+b^3+c^3-3abc=(a+b+c)(a^2+b^2+c^2-ab-bc-ca)</math>
+== Practice Problems ==
+* Prove that <math>n^2 + 3n + 5</math> is never divisible by 121 for any positive integer <math>{n}</math>
+* Prove that <math>2222^{5555} + 5555^{2222}</math> is divisible by 7 - USSR Problem Book
+* Factor <math>(x-y)^3 + (y-z)^3 + (z-x)^3</math>
 == Other Resources ==
 * [http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/pdf/Algebra_Cheat_Sheet_Reduced.pdf More Common Factorizations].

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