If it were jA-10A then you would factor out the red A, and it would leave the green j and the green -10 to go in black parentheses like this: A(j-10) Therefore since it's j(k-5)-10(k-5) then you likewise factor out the red (k-5), and it leaves the green j and the green -10 to go in black parentheses like this: (k-5)(j-10) ----- The only difference is that A doesn't take up as much space as (k-5). One thing to learn in algebra is how to treat big chunks of algebra the same way as you treat little chunks of algebra. Edwin