The given expression is: **2b² - 18b + 40** The goal is...
The given expression is:
2b² - 18b + 40
The goal is to factor it completely.
Step-by-step explanation:
-
Factor out common terms, if any: The coefficients (2, 18, and 40) share a greatest common factor (GCF) of 2. Factor 2 out: [ 2(b² - 9b + 20) ]
-
Factor the quadratic (b² - 9b + 20): To factor this trinomial, look for two numbers that multiply to 20 (the constant term) and add to -9 (the coefficient of the middle term, b). These numbers are -5 and -4: [ b² - 9b + 20 = (b - 5)(b - 4) ]
-
Combine the factors: Substitute the factored quadratic back into the expression: [ 2(b - 5)(b - 4) ]
Final Answer:
The completely factored form of the expression 2b² - 18b + 40 is: [ 2(b - 5)(b - 4) ]
What does this code do?
This code represents factoring a quadratic expression, which is a common algebraic operation to simplify or rewrite the expression in its product form.