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Mathematics 21 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

I need guidance on how to solve this first problem and hopefully I'll be able to solve the rest from there. It says: Factor out the greatest common factor from each polynomial. -16x^4-32x^3-80x^2

hartnn (hartnn):

'greatest common factor' lets take it term by term, what do you understand by the term common ?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

The term common?

hartnn (hartnn):

yeah, like common means the term(variable or constant) present in all the terms, right ?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Do you want me to find the greatest common factor?

hartnn (hartnn):

well, thats what the question asks...

hartnn (hartnn):

can you find it out on your own ?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

I'm not sure. I write out the factors of each coefficient then multiply the ones they have in common, right?

hartnn (hartnn):

correct, did you try that for this Question ?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

Yes and I got a big number so I'm kind of doubting it. I got 1024

hartnn (hartnn):

that must not be COMMON to all terms. you multiply the common terms just once, like in 64+100 = 4*16 + 4* 25 common term is just 4 and not 4*4

hartnn (hartnn):

|dw:1360870763317:dw| did you get how i break up -16x^4 ? can you break up other 2 terms ?

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