Step 1: Identify constants $ \color{blue}{ b }$ and $\color{red}{ c }$. ( $ \color{blue}{ b }$ is a number in front of the $ x $ term and $ \color{red}{ c } $ is a constant). In our case:
$$ \color{blue}{ b = -625 } ~ \text{ and } ~ \color{red}{ c = 90000 }$$Now we must discover two numbers that sum up to $ \color{blue}{ -625 } $ and multiply to $ \color{red}{ 90000 } $.
Step 2: Find out pairs of numbers with a product of $\color{red}{ c = 90000 }$.
PRODUCT = 90000 | |
1 90000 | -1 -90000 |
2 45000 | -2 -45000 |
3 30000 | -3 -30000 |
4 22500 | -4 -22500 |
5 18000 | -5 -18000 |
6 15000 | -6 -15000 |
8 11250 | -8 -11250 |
9 10000 | -9 -10000 |
10 9000 | -10 -9000 |
12 7500 | -12 -7500 |
15 6000 | -15 -6000 |
16 5625 | -16 -5625 |
18 5000 | -18 -5000 |
20 4500 | -20 -4500 |
24 3750 | -24 -3750 |
25 3600 | -25 -3600 |
30 3000 | -30 -3000 |
36 2500 | -36 -2500 |
40 2250 | -40 -2250 |
45 2000 | -45 -2000 |
48 1875 | -48 -1875 |
50 1800 | -50 -1800 |
60 1500 | -60 -1500 |
72 1250 | -72 -1250 |
75 1200 | -75 -1200 |
80 1125 | -80 -1125 |
90 1000 | -90 -1000 |
100 900 | -100 -900 |
120 750 | -120 -750 |
125 720 | -125 -720 |
144 625 | -144 -625 |
150 600 | -150 -600 |
180 500 | -180 -500 |
200 450 | -200 -450 |
225 400 | -225 -400 |
240 375 | -240 -375 |
250 360 | -250 -360 |
300 300 | -300 -300 |
Step 3: Find out which pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = -625 }$
PRODUCT = 90000 and SUM = -625 | |
1 90000 | -1 -90000 |
2 45000 | -2 -45000 |
3 30000 | -3 -30000 |
4 22500 | -4 -22500 |
5 18000 | -5 -18000 |
6 15000 | -6 -15000 |
8 11250 | -8 -11250 |
9 10000 | -9 -10000 |
10 9000 | -10 -9000 |
12 7500 | -12 -7500 |
15 6000 | -15 -6000 |
16 5625 | -16 -5625 |
18 5000 | -18 -5000 |
20 4500 | -20 -4500 |
24 3750 | -24 -3750 |
25 3600 | -25 -3600 |
30 3000 | -30 -3000 |
36 2500 | -36 -2500 |
40 2250 | -40 -2250 |
45 2000 | -45 -2000 |
48 1875 | -48 -1875 |
50 1800 | -50 -1800 |
60 1500 | -60 -1500 |
72 1250 | -72 -1250 |
75 1200 | -75 -1200 |
80 1125 | -80 -1125 |
90 1000 | -90 -1000 |
100 900 | -100 -900 |
120 750 | -120 -750 |
125 720 | -125 -720 |
144 625 | -144 -625 |
150 600 | -150 -600 |
180 500 | -180 -500 |
200 450 | -200 -450 |
225 400 | -225 -400 |
240 375 | -240 -375 |
250 360 | -250 -360 |
300 300 | -300 -300 |
Step 4: Put -225 and -400 into placeholders to get factored form.
$$ \begin{aligned} u^{2}-625u+90000 & = (x + \color{orangered}{\square} )(x + \color{orangered}{\square}) \\ u^{2}-625u+90000 & = (x -225)(x -400) \end{aligned} $$