SOLUTION: factor 12x^3-3xy^2 and one other 8m^4n-16mn^4 Thank you so so much for your help I am in a high school class and I can not figure these example questions out...

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: factor 12x^3-3xy^2 and one other 8m^4n-16mn^4 Thank you so so much for your help I am in a high school class and I can not figure these example questions out...      Log On


   

Question 117938: factor 12x^3-3xy^2
and one other 8m^4n-16mn^4
Thank you so so much for your help I am in a high school class and I can not figure these example questions out...
Found 2 solutions by misscrt, edjones:
Answer by misscrt(37) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
factor 12x^3-3xy^2
and one other 8m^4n-16mn^4
1) Factor out 3
3(4x^3 -xy^2)
Now you can see that an x is found in both terms, so factor it out.
3x(x^2-y^2)
Now you have 3x times the difference of two squares, so rewrite the expression inside the parentheses.
3x(x-y)(x+y)
2) Factor out 8
8(m^4n-2mn^4)
Now you can see that an n is found in both terms, so factor it out.
8n(m^4-2mn^3)
Lastly, factor out the m.
8mn(m^3-2n^3)
Hope that helps.
Greetings,
misscrt

Answer by edjones(8007) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
12x^3-3xy^2
3x(4x^2-y^2)
3x(2x+y)(2x-y)
.
8m^4n-16mn^4
8mn(m^3-2n^3)
.
Ed