How do you factor 36a4+90a2b2+99b4?

1 Answer
May 12, 2016

36a4+90a2b2+99b4

=(6a23(41110)ab+311b2)(6a2+3(41110)ab+311b2)

Explanation:

Taking square roots of the first and last term, let us try a factorisation of the form:

(6a2kab+311b2)(6a2+kab+311b2)

=36a4+(3611k2)a2b2+99b4

So all we need to do is choose k such that:

90=3611k2

Add k290 to both sides to get:

k2=361190

So:

k=±361190=±341110

So:

36a4+90a2b2+99b4

=(6a23(41110)ab+311b2)(6a2+3(41110)ab+311b2)