What do you do with a difficult-to-factor quadratic expression? This lesson provides the answer. Pupils learn a grouping strategy to help factor trinomials. When guess and check seems too tedious, this method is the "works every time" solution. 

Concepts

factoring polynomials, factoring quadratics, factoring trinomials

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• Begin with a graphic organizer displaying the different methods of factoring to this point; emphasize that strategies may be different, but the purpose is the same

Classroom Considerations

• Class members should be proficient in factoring all types of quadratic expressions
• Factoring is difficult for pupils that do not know their factors; provide a multiplication table to those that need it
• The fourth installment of a 26-part series

Pros

• Handouts, keys, and a detailed teacher guide are included
• An opener and exit ticket are included

Cons

• While this method works efficiently, it doesn't have the same concrete connection to the trinomial as the guess-and-check method

Common Core

HSA-SSE.A.1.a HSA-SSE.A.2 HSA-SSE.B.3.a HSA-APR.A.1 HSA-CED.A.1 HSA-CED.A.2 HSA-REI.B.4.b HSA-REI.D.11 HSF-IF.B.4 HSF-IF.B.5 HSF-IF.B.6 HSF-IF.C.7.a MP1 MP7