12m²+8m ???

Question

How's this equation?, can someone explain this to me? And what would be the answer?

Answer 1

Well first, 12m² + 8m is not an equation because there is no equals sign (=); that is, it is not equated to anything.  So there is nothing to solve.  The most we can do with this "expression" is factor out the greatest common factor:

 

     12m² = 4*3*m*m

     8m = 4*2*m

 

The GCF is 4m, so let's factor it out:

 

     12m² + 8m = 4m(3m+2)

 

Now, if we made an equation, such as:

 

     12m² + 8m = 0

 

We can solve it using our factored form:

 

     4m(3m+2) = 0

 

The LHS is zero when 4m = 0 and when (3m+2)=0, which occur when m = 0 and -2/3

Answer 2

It is not an equation. It is a binomial. The topic is "factoring," so I shall factor.

 

12m² + 8m                   Determine GCF.

4m(3m) + 4m(2)

4m(3m + 2)