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How do you factor #x^2+3xy+2y^2#?

1 Answer

Alan P. · Jim H

Mar 24, 2015

Remember that for the general case
#(x+ay) * (x+by) = (x^2 + (a+b)xy + (ab)y^2)#
which is a result with the same form as the given expression

provided we can find two values for #a# and #b# such that
#a+b = 3# and
#ab = 2#

The obvious pair is #(1,2)#
so
#x^2+3xy+2y^2 = (x+y)(x+2y)#

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