The special products that students are usually asked to identify and remember to help in factorisation are the squares and difference of squares: (a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2; (a-b)^2=(b-a)^2=a^2-2ab+b^2; (a-b)(a+b)=a^2-b^2. a and b can be composite quantities like 3x, xy, 2xyz, etc. Examples: (3xy-z)^2=9x^2y^2-6xyz+z^2; (1/x+1/y)^2=1/x^2+2/xy+1/y^2; (5-t)(5+t)=25-t^2.
I include some other types of products you might find useful:
The constant term in a polynomial is a strong clue to how it factors, assuming that it is meant do so.
If the constant is a prime number p, then the factors will consist of p and at least one 1, because p*1*...*1= p. The degree of the polynomial tells you how many factors there are: a degree 2 (quadratic) has two, for example. Examples: x^3-7x^2-x+7=(x-1)(x+1)(x-7); x^2-12x-13=(x-13)(x+1).
If the constant is a composite number (i.e., not a prime number), then you need to factorise it and group the factors according to the degree. For example, if the constant is 15 and the degree is 4, then the factors arranged in fours are (1,1,1,15), (1,1,3,5). Example: x^4+2x^3-16x^2-2x+15=(x-1)(x+1)(x-3)(x+5).
If the degree is n and the constant term is p^n, where p is a prime number, then the polynomial may consist of factors +p and -p. Examples: x^3-5x^2-25x+125=(x-5)^2(x+5). But x^2-26x+25=(x-25)(x-1).
The sign of the constant is significant. If the degree n is even, and the sign is plus, then the zeroes of the polynomial will consist of an even number of pluses and minuses. If the sign is minus, there is an odd number of pluses and an odd number of minuses.
If the degree is odd, and the sign is plus, the factors contain an even number of minuses, or none at all, and the rest are plus. If the sign is minus the factors contain an odd number of minuses, and the rest are pluses, or there are no other factors.