Factor by substitution:

(x-5)2+6(x-5)+8

Short Answer

Expert verified

The factors of(x-5)2+6(x-5)+8are(x-3)(x-1).

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given and explanation.

We have an equation (x-5)2+6(x-5)+8.

We can see that the binomial in the middle term is squared in the first term. So, if we substitute this binomial with a variable, we can get an equation in the standard form and it will then be easy for us to factorize the equation.

The replacing the variable with the original binomials nd simplifying it will give us the factors.

02

Step 2. Replacing the binomial.

We have (x-5)2+6(x-5)+8.

Replacing the binomial by variable "u"gives us u2+6u+8.

03

Step 3. Finding the factors.

We have the new equation as u2+6u+8.

We need two numbers whose sum comes out to be the product of first and last term, i.e., 8and the sum comes out to be the middle term, i.e., 6. The factors of 8are-

NumbersSums
1and8
9
2and4
6

This shows that the two numbers are2,4.

04

Step 4. Splitting the middle term and replacing the variable.

We have two numbers as 2,4.

Splitting the middle term gives us,

=u2+6u+8=u2+2u+4u+8=u(u+2)+4(u+2)=(u+2)(u+4)

05

Step 5. Replacing variable by binomial.

Replacing uby (x-5)gives us

=(u+2)(u+4)=(x-5)+2(x-5)+4=(x-3)(x-1)

This shows that factors are(x-3)(x-1).

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