If you’ve ever come across algebra equations that require you to multiply two parentheses together, you may have heard of the FOIL method.
FOIL stands for First, Outer, Inner, Last, which is a step-by-step process to help you remember the order of operations when multiplying two binomials.
Read on to explore what is the FOIL method and discover a few examples to help you understand it better. If you wonder how to find the inverse of a function, I wrote a whole detailed article that I invite you to check out.
Table of Contents
What Is a Binomial?
A binomial is an algebraic expression of the difference or the sum of two terms, while multiplication involves finding the product of two or more numbers or expressions. Therefore, binomial multiplication is the process of multiplying two expressions that each contains two terms.
For instance, to multiply (x + 3)(y – 5), you would use the FOIL method, which is a shortcut way of writing out the steps in an organized manner.
What is The FOIL method?
The FOIL stands for “First, Outer, Inner, Last” method, which is an algebraic technique used to multiply two binomials together. Remember that a binomial is an expression that contains two terms. For example, (x + 2), (y – 3), and (4a – 5b) are all binomials.
The FOIL method is used when you need to multiply two binomials together. The idea behind the FOIL method is to multiply the First terms, then the Outer terms, then the Inner terms, and finally the Last terms. Using the FOIL method is useful because it helps to ensure that you don’t miss any terms when multiplying two binomials together.
How to Use The FOIL Method
The FOIL method is best explained with an example. Let’s say you need to multiply the following two binomials together:
(x + 2) and (y – 3)
Step 1: Multiply the First terms
(x + 2) * (y – 3) = xy
Step 2: Multiply the Outer terms
(x + 2) * (y – 3) = -3x
Step 3: Multiply the Inner terms
(x + 2) * (y – 3) = 2y
Step 4: Multiply the Last terms
(x + 2) * (y – 3) = -6
Examples of the FOIL Method
Let’s look at a few more example problems to help you understand the FOIL method better.
Example 1: (x + 3) and (4x + 2)
Step 1: Multiply the First terms:
(x + 3) * (4x + 2) = 4x2
Step 2: Multiply the Outer terms:
(x + 3) * (4x + 2) = 2x
Step 3: Multiply the Inner terms:
(x + 3) * (4x + 2) = 12x
Step 4: Multiply the Last terms:
(x + 3) * (4x + 2) = 6
Example 2: (2a + 1) and (5a – 3)
Step 1: Multiply the First terms:
(2a + 1) * (5a – 3) = 10a2
Step 2: Multiply the Outer terms:
(2a + 1) * (5a – 3) = -6a
Step 3: Multiply the Inner terms:
(2a + 1) * (5a – 3) = 5a
Step 4: Multiply the Last terms:
(2a + 1) * (5a – 3) = -3
If you want to learn more about the FOIL method, I encourage you to check out Khan Academy or watch the video below.
Benefits of using the FOIL method
The FOIL method is a useful technique for students studying algebra because it helps them remember the order of operations when multiplying two binomials together.
I believe that by following the four steps of FOIL, every student can be sure that they have multiplied all the terms correctly, which is particularly important when dealing with more complex algebraic equations.
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Wrapping Up
The FOIL method is a useful algebraic technique that helps students remember the order of operations when multiplying two binomials together.
By multiplying the First terms, Outer terms, Inner terms, and Last terms, students can be sure that they haven’t missed any terms when working on more complex algebraic equations.
Like anything in life, with practice, every student can master the FOIL method and use it to solve algebraic problems more efficiently.
