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 = -7} $.
$$ a \cdot c = -49 $$Step 3: Find out two numbers that multiply to $ a \cdot c = -49 $ and add to $ b = 48 $.
Step 4: All pairs of numbers with a product of $ -49 $ are:
| PRODUCT = -49 | |
| -1 49 | 1 -49 |
| -7 7 | 7 -7 |
Step 5: Find out which factor pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = 48 }$
| PRODUCT = -49 and SUM = 48 | |
| -1 49 | 1 -49 |
| -7 7 | 7 -7 |
Step 6: Replace middle term $ 48 x $ with $ 49x-x $:
$$ 7x^{2}+48x-7 = 7x^{2}+49x-x-7 $$Step 7: Apply factoring by grouping. Factor $ 7x $ out of the first two terms and $ -1 $ out of the last two terms.
$$ 7x^{2}+49x-x-7 = 7x\left(x+7\right) -1\left(x+7\right) = \left(7x-1\right) \left(x+7\right) $$