SOLUTION: We just started factoring polynomials,and I don't understand when you first look at a problem,if it has a greater common factor or not.I did read my book but I'm still confused.cou

Question 108815: We just started factoring polynomials,and I don't understand when you first look at a problem,if it has a greater common factor or not.I did read my book but I'm still confused.could you explain this to me,and possibly give me some examples.I appreciate all the help you all have given me.
Thanks in advance sincerely,JH
Answer by MathLover1(20849) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The first thing that you do when factoring is take out all of the
Example:
��..when factor the numbers , , and

, you will see that each one is divisible by .
Also, when you look at , , and , you will see that
all of them you can divide by
So, the here is .
Then you can write your equation like this:

Then you factor .
�.write as
��..group first and third term, second and fourth term
+ ( � )��..here, in first term common factor is
, and in second term common factor is
so, we can write it: , and where we see that common
factor is
now we can write
if we go back to our equation, we can write it like this:

Remember:
Factoring a polynomial is the of multiplying polynomials.
The type of factoring is

a factor

.
Recall that the says that
If you see something of the form , you should remember the formula:
= �

This only holds for a of two squares, NOT for a of two squares such asinto factors with real numbers.
Remember:
�Perfect Square Trinomial�
Recall from special products of binomials that and
It will help you to solve any problem. Good luck!!!!!!!!!

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