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 $\color{blue}{ a = 4 }$ by the constant term $\color{blue}{c = -90} $.
$$ a \cdot c = -360 $$Step 3: Find out two numbers that multiply to $ a \cdot c = -360 $ and add to $ b = 31 $.
Step 4: All pairs of numbers with a product of $ -360 $ are:
| PRODUCT = -360 | |
| -1 360 | 1 -360 |
| -2 180 | 2 -180 |
| -3 120 | 3 -120 |
| -4 90 | 4 -90 |
| -5 72 | 5 -72 |
| -6 60 | 6 -60 |
| -8 45 | 8 -45 |
| -9 40 | 9 -40 |
| -10 36 | 10 -36 |
| -12 30 | 12 -30 |
| -15 24 | 15 -24 |
| -18 20 | 18 -20 |
Step 5: Find out which factor pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = 31 }$
| PRODUCT = -360 and SUM = 31 | |
| -1 360 | 1 -360 |
| -2 180 | 2 -180 |
| -3 120 | 3 -120 |
| -4 90 | 4 -90 |
| -5 72 | 5 -72 |
| -6 60 | 6 -60 |
| -8 45 | 8 -45 |
| -9 40 | 9 -40 |
| -10 36 | 10 -36 |
| -12 30 | 12 -30 |
| -15 24 | 15 -24 |
| -18 20 | 18 -20 |
Step 6: Replace middle term $ 31 x $ with $ 40x-9x $:
$$ 4x^{2}+31x-90 = 4x^{2}+40x-9x-90 $$Step 7: Apply factoring by grouping. Factor $ 4x $ out of the first two terms and $ -9 $ out of the last two terms.
$$ 4x^{2}+40x-9x-90 = 4x\left(x+10\right) -9\left(x+10\right) = \left(4x-9\right) \left(x+10\right) $$