SOLUTION: Any assistance you could offer would be great. I am supposed to factor out the greatest common factor and simplify factors if possible. I think the greatest common factor is 5-x^

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Any assistance you could offer would be great. I am supposed to factor out the greatest common factor and simplify factors if possible. I think the greatest common factor is 5-x^      Log On


   

Question 27476: Any assistance you could offer would be great. I am supposed to factor out the greatest common factor and simplify factors if possible. I think the greatest common factor is 5-x^2, but am not not sure where to go from there.
3(5-x)^4+2(5-x)^3-(5-x)^2
Thank you!
Answer by longjonsilver(2297) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
you are correct... lets look at it written out fully:

3%285-x%29%5E4%2B2%285-x%29%5E3-%285-x%29%5E2 means
3(5-x)(5-x)(5-x)(5-x) + 2(5-x)(5-x)(5-x) - (5-x)(5-x)

so, you can see that (5-x)(5-x) is common to all 3 terms. Taking that out, leaves:
(5-x)(5-x)[ 3(5-x)(5-x) + 2(5-x) - 1]

so, writing this in neater format is
%285-x%29%5E2%283%285-x%29%5E2+%2B+2%285-x%29+-+1%29

Hope this helps.

jon.