Question 203311
That's a pretty broad question! :-)


Maybe you can send some examples of what confuses you.  When someone answers a specific question, it helps with the understanding.  In the meantime tho, I can give you the following info with regard to factoring polynomials.......


When you factor, you look for factors common to EVERY term in the equation.  For example:  


in this equation.... {{{(4y^2 - 8)}}}.... you have to ask yourself: "What is common to {{{4y^2}}} AND common to the {{{-8}}}also?"


Do you see that the number 4 is common to both?  SO... what you do is sort of "take out" the 4 and put it in front of a parenthesis, to "announce" (so to speak) that you are dividing 4 from the entire equation.  


It's like this...   {{{4(y^2 - 2)}}}


The numbers in the parenthesis came when you made these divisions:


{{{(4y^2/4)}}}  and {{{-8/4}}}.


Sometimes tho, you can divide out more than one common factor.  For example, in this problem............


{{{5x^4 + 20x^3}}} .......... can you see that 5 is common to 5 and to 20?


BUT - can you also see that {{{x^3}}} is also common to the {{{5x^4}}} and to the {{{20x^3}}}? 


SO, let's "take out" or more specifically, let's divide {{{5x^3}}} from the whole equation, k?


{{{5x^3(x + 4)}}}   


The above came when you made these divisions:


{{{5x^4/5x^3}}} along with {{{20x^3/5x^3}}}


These are fairly simple factoring problems.  They can get more tricky but it's not clear at what level you get confused.  So again, I suggest you submit a problem you are struggling with, along with the steps you have taken to solve the problem.  Then your mistakes (if you make any) can be corrected.  


I hope this helps you. :-)