Common Core · High school
HSA-SSE.A.2
High school — Use the structure of an expression to rewrite it, such as seeing a difference of two squares.
High school — Use the structure of an expression to identify ways to rewrite it, for example seeing x^4 - y^4 as a difference of squares.
High school — Use the structure of an expression to identify ways to rewrite it.
The 3 skills that cover it
- FactoringRewrite a polynomial as a product: pull out the greatest common factor, factor trinomials, and recognise the difference of squares.Read the lesson →
- PolynomialsName a polynomial by its degree and number of terms, add and subtract polynomials, multiply a monomial or a binomial through, and recognise the special products.Read the lesson →
- Rational Expressions & EquationsTreat a fraction of polynomials the way you treat a fraction of numbers: simplify it by factoring, state the values it excludes, multiply, divide, add and subtract, and solve equations that contain one.Read the lesson →
What a student should be able to do
- Factor out the greatest common factor of a polynomial.
- Factor a trinomial of the form x2 + bx + c.
- Recognise and factor a difference of two squares.
- Multiply the factors back to check the result.
- Write a polynomial in standard form and state its degree and its number of terms.
- Add and subtract polynomials by combining like terms.
- Multiply a monomial by a polynomial and a binomial by a binomial.
- Expand the special products (a + b)2, (a - b)2 and (a + b)(a - b).
- Simplify a rational expression by factoring, and state the values of the variable that are excluded.
- Multiply and divide rational expressions, cancelling common factors.
- Add and subtract rational expressions using a least common denominator.
- Solve a rational equation by clearing denominators, and reject any solution that makes a denominator zero.