Question #0230f

2 Answers
Jan 25, 2018

#6(4x+3y)#

Explanation:

First, find the common factors between the two coefficients: 24 and 18. What I like to do is list the factors of each, and then see which ones are in common:

24's factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24
18's factors: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18

Both 24 and 18 have the factors 1, 2, 3, and 6. When factoring, you want to use the greatest common factor so that your answer is as simplified as possible. Out of those four numbers, 6 is the biggest, so we will use that for factoring. Watch this:

#24x+18y# // Here's the problem
#6*4x+6*3y# // Splitting each coefficient into 6 and its factor pair
#6(4x+3y)# // Take the common 6 out of both numbers

You can validate this answer using the distributive property:

#6(4x+3y)#
#6*4x + 6*3y#
#24x + 18y#

Jan 25, 2018

#6(4x+3y)#

Explanation:

Notice that 24 and 18 have a common factor, which is 6, so factor 6 out of the expression, and divide all of the inside terms by 6:

#6(4x+3y)#