Question

How do you factor `6a^2 - 17a + 12`?

Answer 1

Your answer is `(2a -3) (3a - 4)`

Explanation:

`6a^2 -17a + 12`

To solve this you have to multiply the range of the first and the last numbers so `6a^2 *12` is `= 72a^2`.

After finding this you have to make a list of factors for `72a^2` that when multiplied will give you `72a^2` and when added together will give you `-17a` .

1 and 72
2 and 36
3 and 24
4 and 18
6 and 12
8 and 9
Our values are `-9 and -8`
So we replace `17a` with them and your expression becomes
`6a^2 -8a -9a +12`. Now to start factorising

`=>2a(3a -4) -3(3a -4)`
`=>(2a-3)(3a -4)`