Step 1: Identify constants $ a $ , $ b $ and $ c $.
$ a $ is a number in front of the $ x^2 $ term $ b $ is a number in front of the $ x $ term and $ c $ is a constant. In this case:
Step 2: Multiply the leading coefficient $\color{blue}{ a = 11 }$ by the constant term $\color{blue}{c = -3} $.
$$ a \cdot c = -33 $$Step 3: Find out two numbers that multiply to $ a \cdot c = -33 $ and add to $ b = -32 $.
Step 4: All pairs of numbers with a product of $ -33 $ are:
| PRODUCT = -33 | |
| -1 33 | 1 -33 |
| -3 11 | 3 -11 |
Step 5: Find out which factor pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = -32 }$
| PRODUCT = -33 and SUM = -32 | |
| -1 33 | 1 -33 |
| -3 11 | 3 -11 |
Step 6: Replace middle term $ -32 x $ with $ x-33x $:
$$ 11x^{2}-32x-3 = 11x^{2}+x-33x-3 $$Step 7: Apply factoring by grouping. Factor $ x $ out of the first two terms and $ -3 $ out of the last two terms.
$$ 11x^{2}+x-33x-3 = x\left(11x+1\right) -3\left(11x+1\right) = \left(x-3\right) \left(11x+1\right) $$