
Here we will show you how to factor the quadratic function 37x² - 100x + 63 using the box method. In other words, we will show you how to factor 37x squared minus 100x plus 63 (37x^2 - 100x + 63) using the box method. It is a 5-step process:
Step 1: The standard form of a quadratic equation is ax² + bx + c. We start by labeling the different parts of our equation 37x² - 100x + 63, like this:
a = 37
b = -100
c = 63
Step 2: Next, we need to draw a box and divide it into four squares:
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
More specifically, 37 times 63 is 2331. Therefore, we need to find the two numbers that multiply to equal 2331, and add to equal -100.
? × ? = 2331
? + ? = -100
After looking at this problem, we can see that the two numbers that multiply together to equal 2331, and add together to equal -100, are -63 and -37, as illustrated here:
-63 × -37 = 2331
-63 + -37 = -100
Now, we can fill in the last two squares in our box with -63x and -37x. Place -63x in the upper left square, and place -37x in the lower right square.
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
Our goal is to find the numbers that, when multiplied together, result in the products in each square. We can do this by finding the greatest common factor in each row.
Let’s look at the top row. We have the terms -63x and 63. The greatest common factor of -63x and 63 is -63. Therefore, we write -63 to the left of the top row. You can see it here in the color green:
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
37x² ÷ 37x = x
You can see this value colored in orange below:
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
Next, we divide -37x by 37x (labeled in blue). This gives us -1.
-37x ÷ 37x = -1
You can see this value colored in purple below:
-63 | -63x | 63 |
37x | 37x² | -37x |
x | -1 |
Step 5: Now we have all of the information we need to finish factoring the equation. The values outside of the box are used to factor 37x² - 100x + 63. You simply put the values on the left in one set of parentheses, and the values below in another set of parentheses, to get the answer:
(37x - 63)(x - 1)
That’s it! Now you know how to factor the equation 37x² - 100x + 63.
Factoring Quadratics
Go here if you want to learn how to factor another quadratic function.
Factor 37x² - 99x - 36
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