How do you factor 16+ 40x ^ { 2} - 25x ^ { 4}?

1 Answer
Jan 19, 2018

See the explanation below...

Explanation:

These type of polynomials can be factored by substitution.

Let's subtitute u=x^2 in the above polynomial, so that we get:

=25u^2+40u+16

We have to break the 40u into two terms, let's say u and v such that their sum must be equal to 40u and their product must be equal to the product of 25u and 16.

Since, 20u+20u=40u and 20u\cdot 20u = 400u^2,

we can write:

=(25u^2+20u)+(20u+16)

Factor out 5u from left side terms and 4 from right side terms, so that we get:

=5u(5u+4)+4(5u+4)

Factor out common term (5u+4), so that we have left with:

=(5u+4)(5u+4)

Substitute back u=x^2, and write as a square:

=(5x^2+4)^2

Which is our required factored form.