SOLUTION: what is the difference between factoring and expanding?

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Question 17600: what is the difference between factoring and expanding?
Answer by rapaljer(4551) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Factoring and expanding are exactly the opposite operation. To factor means to express as a product. To expand means to multiply something out.

For examples, to factor 15 means to write it as a product 3*5.
To factor 5x+ 20 means to write 5(x+4), which is written as a product.
To factor x%5E2+-+5x%2B6 means to write it as a product %28x-2%29%2A%28x-3%29.
To expand 5(x+4) means to remove the parentheses and multiply it out: 5x + 20.
To expand %28x-2%29%2A%28x-3%29 means to multiply it out: x%5E2-5x%2B6.

R^2 at SCC