factor 6+27 using gcf

Question

it said 6(2+9) was the wrong answer.

Answer 1

List the factors of each element in your expression.

1, 2, 3, and 6 are factors of 6 while 1, 3, 9, and 27 are factors of 27. Notice that the product of the outer elements equal what your factoring as well as the inners.

1x6=6, 2x3=6, 1x27=27, and 3x9=27. Notice the GCF in this case is 3, so factor that out of your initial expression.

Therefore 3(2+9) = 6 + 2.

John

Answer 2

Factoring 6 out of 6 would get you 1, not 2.

And 6 is not a factor of 27. You can tell because multiplying 6 and 9 doesn't get you 27, it gets you 54. But hey, look at that, 54 is two times 27.

Maybe the factor you're looking for is half of six :P

Often, in problems like these, re-multiplying out your wrong answer can give you insight into what you did wrong to get there in the first place.