Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring - Problem 13

To solve an equation by factoring, your first step is to re-write it in standard form, meaning the exponents are going in decreasing order and it is equal to zero. From there, always start by looking for a greatest common factor- it may be a number, a variable, or even the product of a number and variable. Finding the greatest common factor will make the remaining factoring much easier. Next, factor the polynomial that remains- here, we'll do examples that involve the difference of perfect squares. When it is all factored, set each factor equal to zero (including the greatest common factor term that you pulled out in the beginning) and solve for x.