Bringing it together ...

Today's guiding notes worksheet brings together the concepts from last week (dividing polynomials by cancelling common factors) and this week (doing the factoring on our own). In last week's problems, the division problems were already factored. Today's lesson requires us to factor first, and then cancel the common factors.

NOTE: Many students experience difficulty with today's homework because they are not reading the directions. The steps are clearly spelled out and nothing is new on its own.

1. Remember, it may be helpful to rewrite a division problem as a fraction. To do this, the dividend (what is being divided into) goes in the numerator. The divisor (what is doing the dividing) goes in the denominator.
2. Factor the polynomials. First, look for a gcf. If there is one, pull it to the front. Then, if the polynomial is a quadratic, factor it like yesterday's lesson.
3. Cancel any common factors that appear in both the numerator and the denominator.
4. Write the simplified answer.

Example: Simplify the following by first factoring out GCFs.

Example: Simplify the following by first factoring the quadratic polynomials.

Example: Simplify the following by first factoring out GCFs and then factor any remainging quadratic polynomials.Homework: Finish the handout.

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