Math Strategy: Foiling the F.O.I.L. Method

Remember those pesky polynomials from way back in Algebra class? Even better yet, remember that haunting FOIL method when asked to multiply them? First. Outer. Inner. Last. FOIL!

It always seemed to foil me! Forget about getting an answer while maintaining sanity.

If you ever tackled Algebra, odds are high this mnemonic has crossed your path. It’s like a hissing alligator blocking the only exit to a correct answer. Well, that’s how I felt about the horrific FOIL beast. Some folks like that sort of thing. Me? Nah? I’m more of a fluffy puppy gal.

Having to hold on to so much information in my brain at one time was daunting. It ended up being a juggling act involving repeating the words first, outer, inner, last. Even with writing down every step, frustration seemed to abound.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. Oh, how I wish I had known this eons ago! Guess what? You can toss the FOIL into the trash heap and pretend you are doing art. Make it pretty. Decorate. Yes, that might be a stretch, but ya’ got to be creative at times.

Enter the box method for multiplying polynomials. Drawing a box is art, right?! Cue happy music. No more endless mental gymnasts. No more alligators snapping at your heels. No more prickly x’s to fear.

And.

The beauty is that it even works for large polynomials. Think huge!

Turn up volume of happy music.

How you implore? Check out the videos below and enjoy. The last video shows you how to manage things when you have a more than a couple of hissing x alligators.

By the way, it’s best to watch each video all the way through before picking up a pencil. See it as an artwork. Give yourself an excuse to use those gel pens. Relax your brain then tame those pesky x’s!