Oh no! I think she’s going to say the “F” word! I’m afraid!

Factoring! Whew! I thought it was going to be “fractions.”

AND fractions! And your little dog, too.

Fractions, and Factors in polynomial expressions, oh my!

Don’t be afraid You’ve had the power all along.

You know how to simplify Fractions If you have 15/50, you know that both the Numerator And the Denominator Have a factor of “5” 5x3=15 and 5x10=50

So you simplify by… Taking out the common factors Take them out

And you are left with a simplified fraction 15/50 Is Reduced To 3/10

You can do the same thing with polynomials

First: FACTOR

Second: Remove those common factors Becomes: Pay no attention to the factors that are the same, they just become “1”

Just because you don’t know what the number is… The rules DO NOT change So, when multiplying fractions, multiply straight across– but be sure to take out common factors first) Becomes: Then just:

It is just the same with polynomials

Factor

Take out the common factors (The parts that make ‘1’) Now that is using your brain.

And that is the “trick”– it is just like working with any other fraction You see, it isn’t really magical at all.

So, when faced with something that looks very complicated, like… Just think of how you would complete the problem if you knew what all the numbers were… 1.Keep-Change-Flip (multiply by the reciprocal) 2.Factor 3.Remove the common factors (that make one)

And you will be where you want to be in no time With your own diploma in Thinkology

All sound clips and pictures from MGM studies “Wizard of Oz” (1939)