Question

Can someone explain how to factor this problem?

8x5 − 36x2

Answer 1

start by finding the Greatest common factor of 8 and 36

Answer 2

How can i ?

Answer 3

well, can you list the factors of 8?

Answer 4

28

Answer 5

uh, not quite...

the factors of 8 are: 1,2,4, and 8
and the factors of 36 are: 1,2,4,9,12, 18, and 36

so our GCF is 4, since this is the highest number they both have in common

with me so far?

Answer 6

i Div 8 by 36 and i got 28. How did you get 4

Answer 7

uh, I'm not quite sure how you got 28...

do you know what a factor is?

Answer 8

no

Answer 9

ok so you want me to do 8 Div 36

Answer 10

uh, well, it would be good to learn what a factor is before attempting these problems

http://www.math.com/school/subject1/lessons/S1U3L1GL.html

Answer 11

How did you get 4

Answer 12

Thats what i don't understand ?

Answer 13

I don't mean "divide 8 by 36" , I meant to find the biggest number that goes into 8 and 36

Answer 14

Ok how can i know, the biggest number that goes by the two numbers.

Answer 15

start by listing the factors of 8 and 36

Answer 16

1248

Answer 17

Ok i get it now

Answer 18

so it would be 4x

Answer 19

just 4, not 4x, we'll get to the x in a minute

now, we factor out 4 giving us:

8x5 − 36x2

= 4(2x^5-9x^2)

Answer 20

now, the GCF of x^5 and x^2 is x^2, so we factor that out, giving us:

4x^2(2x^3-9) which is our answer

Answer 21

How you get 2