Factoring in mathematics means breaking apart of a polynomial into a product of other polynomials. When you multiply these small polynomials, you get the original polynomial. Regardless of how many terms there are in a polynomial, you need to always check for the greatest common factor (GCF) first. The GCF is the biggest expression that will go into all of the terms. For trinomial, a polynomial with three terms - you can use the FOIL method for multiplying binomials backward. For binomials, look for the difference of squares, the difference of cubes, or the sum of cubes.

Factoring is used to solve many different types of problems. The skill itself does not do much or serve a great purpose, but it is essential for the final process. Factoring is kind of like a screw driver. If you to hold two boards together there are many way you could do it. You could use glue, a nail, even staples; but a screw is the most efficient tool to get the job done. That is factoring for you, the screws of the math world. Your students will use the following worksheets to practice working with polynomials. Students will also use the distributive property. Though formulas are presented, students should already be familiar with this material.