Solution - Simplification or other simple results

Step  1  :

Trying to factor by splitting the middle term

 1.1     Factoring  x²-17x+72 

The first term is,  x²  its coefficient is  1 .
The middle term is,  -17x  its coefficient is  -17 .
The last term, "the constant", is  +72 

Step-1 : Multiply the coefficient of the first term by the constant   1 • 72 = 72 

Step-2 : Find two factors of  72  whose sum equals the coefficient of the middle term, which is   -17 .

Step-3 : Rewrite the polynomial splitting the middle term using the two factors found in step 2 above,  -9  and  -8 
                     x² - 9x - 8x - 72

Step-4 : Add up the first 2 terms, pulling out like factors :
                    x • (x-9)
              Add up the last 2 terms, pulling out common factors :
                    8 • (x-9)
Step-5 : Add up the four terms of step 4 :
                    (x-8)  •  (x-9)
             Which is the desired factorization

Final result :

  (x - 8) • (x - 9)