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How Do You Multiply Trinomials?
Find the product of the two polynomials 2x2+3x+4 and 2x2+2x+6
Summary
- 'x' is a variable
- Multiply the first trinomial by the second trinomial by distributing the terms
- Multiplying the first term, 2x2, through the second trinomial gives us 2x4, 4x3, and 12x2
- Multiplying the second term, 3x, through the second trinomial gives us 3x3, 6x2, and 18x
- Multiplying the third term, 4, through the second trinomial gives us 4x2, 8x, and 24

Notes
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- 'x' is a variable
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- We're multiplying the first term in the left trinomial by everything in the right trinomial
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- The first term in the first trinomial is 2x2
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- Multiply 2x2 by every term in the second trinomial
- The second trinomial is x2+2x+6
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- 'x' is a variable
- Multiply the first terms of each trinomial together, 2x2•x2
- Multiply the first term of the left trinomial by the second term in the right trinomial, 2x2•2x
- Multiply the first term of the left trinomial by the last term in the right trinomial, 2x2•6
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- 'x' is a variable
- 2x2•x2=2x4
- 2x2•2x=4x3
- 2x2•6=12x2
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- The second term in the first trinomial is 3x
- 'x' is a variable
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- Multiply 3x by every term in the second trinomial
- The second trinomial is x2+2x+6
- 'x' is a variable
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- 'x' is a variable
- Multiply the second term in the first trinomial by the first term in the second trinomial, 3x•x2
- Multiply the second terms in each trinomial together, 3x•2x
- Multiply the first second of the left trinomial by the last term in the right trinomial, 3x•6
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- 'x' is a variable
- 3x•x2=3x3
- 3x•2x=6x2
- 3x•6=18x
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- The third term in the first trinomial is 4
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- Multiply 4 by every term in the second trinomial
- The second trinomial is x2+2x+6
- 'x' is a variable
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- 'x' is a variable
- Multiply the last term in the left trinomial by the first term in the right trinomial, 4•x2
- Multiply the last term of the left trinomial by the second term in the right trinomial, 4•2x
- Multiply the last terms in each trinomial together, 4•6
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- 'x' is a variable
- 4•x2=4x2
- 4•2x=8x
- 4•6=24
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- Like terms will have an 'x' to the common power
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- The only term with 'x' to the 4th is the 2x4
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- These terms have 'x' to the 3rd in common
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- These terms have 'x' to the 2nd in common
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- These terms have 'x' to the 1st in common
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- The only term with 'x' to the 0 power is 24
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- 4x3+3x3=7x3
- 12x2+6x2+4x2=22x2
- 18x+8x=26x
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