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 $\color{blue}{ a = 7 }$ by the constant term $\color{blue}{c = 36} $.
$$ a \cdot c = 252 $$Step 3: Find out two numbers that multiply to $ a \cdot c = 252 $ and add to $ b = -67 $.
Step 4: All pairs of numbers with a product of $ 252 $ are:
| PRODUCT = 252 | |
| 1 252 | -1 -252 |
| 2 126 | -2 -126 |
| 3 84 | -3 -84 |
| 4 63 | -4 -63 |
| 6 42 | -6 -42 |
| 7 36 | -7 -36 |
| 9 28 | -9 -28 |
| 12 21 | -12 -21 |
| 14 18 | -14 -18 |
Step 5: Find out which factor pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = -67 }$
| PRODUCT = 252 and SUM = -67 | |
| 1 252 | -1 -252 |
| 2 126 | -2 -126 |
| 3 84 | -3 -84 |
| 4 63 | -4 -63 |
| 6 42 | -6 -42 |
| 7 36 | -7 -36 |
| 9 28 | -9 -28 |
| 12 21 | -12 -21 |
| 14 18 | -14 -18 |
Step 6: Replace middle term $ -67 x $ with $ -4x-63x $:
$$ 7x^{2}-67x+36 = 7x^{2}-4x-63x+36 $$Step 7: Apply factoring by grouping. Factor $ x $ out of the first two terms and $ -9 $ out of the last two terms.
$$ 7x^{2}-4x-63x+36 = x\left(7x-4\right) -9\left(7x-4\right) = \left(x-9\right) \left(7x-4\right) $$