Identify Factors: To factor the quadratic polynomial x2+6x−40, we need to find two numbers that multiply to give −40 (the constant term) and add to give 6 (the coefficient of the x term).
Find Pair Sum: We list pairs of factors of −40 and check which pair sums up to 6. The pairs are (−1,40), (1,−40), (−2,20), (2,−20), (−4,10), and (4,−10). The pair that adds up to 6 is (10,−4).
Write as Binomials: Now we write the polynomial as a product of two binomials using the numbers 10 and −4. The factored form is (x+10)(x−4).
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