Question

Factor by factoring out the greatest common factor (GCF).
16a^2b-2ab^2

Answer 1

\[16a ^{2}b-2ab ^{2}\] My question is how do I determine the GCF's exponent?

Answer 2

You've to factour out the common term from the whole.
What exponent to the variables have in common?

Answer 3

*what exponent do

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

do you subtract them?

Answer 6

No. Let us look at just the variable x.
In the first equation you posted, what is the lowest exponent value?

Answer 7

*variable a

Answer 8

a which has no exponent?

Answer 9

Correct. The lack of an exponent also means that said vairable is raised to the 1 power.

Thus you can factour out one variable a from each term:
\[16a^2b-2ab^2=2ab(8a-b)\]

Answer 10

Does this make sense?

Answer 11

Yes. I got the same answer just didn't understand how to determine which exponent to put for GCF. Thanks!

Answer 12

No problem :)