SOLUTION: I have been asked to factor this and not sure exactly what I am to do. Please show me the way to factor this 6m - 6n - 60 = ? Thanks so much for the help.

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Question 119909: I have been asked to factor this and not sure exactly what I am to do. Please show me the way to factor this 6m - 6n - 60 = ?
Thanks so much for the help.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Factor:
6m+-+6n+-+60 Look for a common factor in each of the three terms. You can rewrite this expression showing the prime factors of each term
highlight%282%2A3%29%2Am+-+highlight%282%2A3%29%2An+-+2%2Ahighlight%282%2A3%29%2A5 Notice that 2*3 appears in each of the three terms, so 2*3 is a common factor.
highlight%282%2A3%29%2Am+-+highlight%282%2A3%29%2An+-+highlight%282%2A3%29%2A10so the 2*3 can be taken outside the parentheses, thus:
highlight%282%2A3%29%28m+-+n+-+10%29 but since the 2*3 = 6, so you can replace it.
highlight%286%29%28m+-+n+-+10%29 this is then factored.
To check the answer, you would apply the "distributive property":
6%28m+-+n+-+10%29+=+6%2Am+-+6%2An+-+6%2A10=6m-6n-60