Thread: Factor an Equation HELP

I have several that look like this that I need to factor. I just need to a walk-through of this please! Where do I start?

9y² - 4x² - 4x - 1

Originally Posted by sy416

I have several that look like this that I need to factor. I just need to a walk-through of this please! Where do I start?

9y² - 4x² - 4x - 1

First take a look at the x terms. You pretty much have to recognize . I can't think of any way to know how to do this aside from experience. (I first noted that 9y^2 is a perfect square. Start these by looking for something like that.) So your problem becomes:


Look at the RHS. It is the difference of two squares. What can you do with that?

-Dan

Thanks!