5(3x+2y)-9kx-6ky, Factorise last two terms: -9kx-6ky as -3k(3x+2y) 5(3x+2y)-3k(3x+2y) Let (3x+2y) = U 5U-3kU U(5-3k) Replace U by (3x+2y) (3x+2y)(5-3k) -------------------------- 2p(x-5y)-(x-5y) Let U = (x-5y) 2pU-U U(2p-1) Replace U by (x-5y) (x-5y)(2p-1) -------------------------- (x+1)(x-2)+(2-x)(3-x) 2-x is not in standard order Write it as -x+2 Take out common factor -1 -1(x-2) 3-x is not in standard order Write it as -x+3 Take out common factor -1 -1(x-3) (x+1)(x-2)+[(-1)(x-2)(-1)(x-3)] (x+1)(x-2)+[(-1)(-1)(x-2)(x-3)] (x+1)(x-2)+[(+1)(x-2)(x-3)] (x+1)(x-2)+(x-2)(x-3) Let U = (x+1) Let V = (x-2) Let W = (x-3) UV + VW V(U+W) Use brackets to hold parentheses: V[U+W] Replace U, V and W by what we let them equal to: (x-2)[(x+1)+(x-3)] (x-2)[x+1+x-3] (x-2)[2x-2] (x-2)[2(x-1)] 2(x-2)(x-1) ============================== xy+3y-2x-6 Factorize first two terms: xy+3y as y(x+3) Factorize last two terms: -2x-6 as -2(x+3) y(x+3)-2(x+3) Let U = (x+3) yU-2U U(y-2) replace U by (x+3) (x+3)(y-2) =================== 12ah-2bh-30ak+5bk Factorise first two terms: 12ah-2bh as 2h(6a-b) Factorise last two terms: -30ak+5bk as -5k(6a-b) 2h(6a-b)-5k(6a-b) Let U = (6a-b) 2hU-5kU U(2h-5k) Replace U by (6a-b) (6a-b)(2h-5k) Edwin