TO FACTOR x2 + bx + c
a. First arrange in descending order.
b. Use a trial-and-error process that looks for factors of c whose sum is b.
c. If c is positive, the signs of the factors are the same as the sign of b.
d. If c is negative, one factor is positive and the other is negative. If the sum of two factors is the opposite of b, changing the sign of each factor will give the desired factors whose sum is b.
e. Check by multiplying.