HELP ME OUT PLEASE SOLVE IT WITH FACTOR

Question

Factor the GCF out of this given expression:Please explain the steps on you got it so as i can practice with it for future similar problems

 

(1) a^7b^8+a^5b^6-a^3b^2

 

(2) -18a^5-30a^3+24a^2

 

(3) 6x(x-8)-5(x-8)

Answer 1

Hi Ma,

        Lets start with #3 first

 

you see that the term (x-8) is common (the greatest common factor) to both terms in the expression 6x(x-8)-5(x-8) so if we factor it out we have (x-8)(6x-5)

 

2. -18a⁵ -30a³ +24a²    the greatest common factor is 6a² in this case it's the term with the smallest exponent so we have 6a²(-3a³-5a+4)    make sense?

 

1. The GCF here is a³b²  you try the rest.

 

Regards

Jim