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Math lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 45 minutes

Factorise four-term expressions by grouping

Algebra

CCSS HSA.SSE.A.2England: GCSE Higher Algebra

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Factorise four-term expressions by grouping.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Take out the greatest common factor of a polynomial

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Balance scales or a balance drawing, Algebra tiles, Function machine cards, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Take out the greatest common factor of a polynomial). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Complete the factorisation: 6x⁵ − 12x⁴ − 30x³ = 6x³( … ). Type what goes inside the bracket. → x^2-2x-5Prompt: Divide each term by 6x³.
  2. What is the greatest common factor of 18xy² and 6x²y²? (6x²y² / 6x / 12xy² / 6xy²) → 6xy²Prompt: Find the HCF of the numbers.
  3. Factorise by taking out −2x: −6x² + 2x = −2x( … ). Type what goes inside the bracket. → 3x-1Prompt: Divide each term by −2x.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a "think of a number" puzzle and ask the class to work out the starting number.
  • Share the objective: Factorise four-term expressions by grouping. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Factorise by grouping: x³ + 3x² − 2x − 6
  • Step 1: x²(x + 3) − 2(x + 3)
  • Step 2: (x² − 2)(x + 3)
  • Answer: (x² − 2)(x + 3)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Factorise by grouping: x³ − x² − 4x + 4 ((x² − 4)(x + 1) / (x² − 4)(x − 1) / (x² + 4)(x + 1) / (x² − 1)(x − 4)) → (x² − 4)(x − 1)Prompt: Group the first two terms and the last two terms.
  2. Factorise: xy + 6x − 2y − 12 ((x + 6)(y − 2) / (x − 2)(y + 6) / (x − 2)(y − 6) / (x + 2)(y − 6)) → (x − 2)(y + 6)Prompt: Take x out of the first pair and a number out of the second pair.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Factorise: xy + 4x − 5y − 20 ((x − 5)(y + 4) / (x + 4)(y − 5) / (x − 5)(y − 4) / (x + 5)(y − 4)) → (x − 5)(y + 4)Prompt: Take x out of the first pair and a number out of the second pair.
  2. Factorise by grouping: 4x² + 16x − 3x − 12 ((4x + 3)(x − 4) / (4x − 3)(x − 4) / (4x − 3)(x + 4) / (4x + 4)(x − 3)) → (4x − 3)(x + 4)Prompt: Take 4x out of the first two terms.

Watch out for

  • Doing an operation to one side of an equation but not the other.
  • Reading 3x as 3 + x, or thinking x always stands for one particular number.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Take out the greatest common factor of a polynomial.
  • Use concrete materials: balance scales or a balance drawing.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-9.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Factorise four-term expressions by grouping

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Factorise by grouping: 2x² + 6x + 5x + 15

    • A. (2x + 15)(x + 1)
    • B. (x + 5)(x + 3)
    • C. (2x + 3)(x + 5)
    • D. (2x + 5)(x + 3)

  2. Question 2

    Factorise by grouping: x³ − 6x² − 4x + 24

    • A. (x² − 6)(x − 4)
    • B. (x² − 4)(x + 6)
    • C. (x − 6)(x − 4)
    • D. (x² − 4)(x − 6)

  3. Question 3

    Factorise: xy + 2x − 3y − 6

    • A. (x + 2)(y − 3)
    • B. (x − 3)(y + 2)
    • C. (x + 3)(y − 2)
    • D. (x − 3)(y − 2)

  4. Question 4

    Factorise by grouping: 5x² + 30x − 6x − 36

    • A. (5x − 6)(x + 6)
    • B. (5x + 6)(x − 6)
    • C. (5x − 6)(x − 6)
    • D. (x − 6)(x + 6)

  5. Question 5

    Factorise by grouping: x³ − 5x² + 4x − 20

    • A. (x² − 4)(x + 5)
    • B. (x² + 4)(x + 5)
    • C. (x² + 4)(x − 5)
    • D. (x² − 5)(x + 4)

  6. Question 6

    Factorise: xy + 1x − 6y − 6

    • A. (x + 1)(y − 6)
    • B. (x − 6)(y − 1)
    • C. (x + 6)(y − 1)
    • D. (x − 6)(y + 1)

  7. Question 7

    Factorise by grouping: x³ + 5x² + 2x + 10

    • A. (x² + 2)(x − 5)
    • B. (x² + 5)(x + 2)
    • C. (x² + 2)(x + 5)
    • D. (x² − 2)(x − 5)

  8. Question 8

    Factorise: xy + 4x − 3y − 12

    • A. (x − 3)(y − 4)
    • B. (x + 4)(y − 3)
    • C. (x − 3)(y + 4)
    • D. (x + 3)(y − 4)

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Answer key: Factorise four-term expressions by grouping

  1. 1. D. (2x + 5)(x + 3)

  2. 2. D. (x² − 4)(x − 6)

  3. 3. B. (x − 3)(y + 2)

  4. 4. A. (5x − 6)(x + 6)

  5. 5. C. (x² + 4)(x − 5)

  6. 6. D. (x − 6)(y + 1)

  7. 7. C. (x² + 2)(x + 5)

  8. 8. C. (x − 3)(y + 4)