Question

Factor completely 8m^3 - 12m^2 + 4m

Answer 1

First factor out the common factor... there's an m in all three, and also, all the numbers are divisible by 4.

Answer 2

ok so the common factor would be 4m?

Answer 3

correct

Answer 4

what would I do after that?

Answer 5

Factor it out of every term.

Answer 6

is it basically like dividing? if not how would I do that?

Answer 7

@agent0smith

Answer 8

It's kinda like dividing. Try it and show your work.

Eg. 8x^2 + 2x has a common factor of 2x. So factor it out:
2x(4x+1)

Answer 9

Would it be:

8m^3 - 12m^2 + 4m
4m(2m^2 - 4m)

Answer 10

See my example above, look closely... nothing just disappears completely.

Answer 11

Im sorry im not the best at math so im not really sure how to do it

Answer 12

would it be:

4m(2m^2 - 4m + 1)

Answer 13

Much better. But there's still one mistake.

You had
8m^3 - 12m^2 + 4m
Now you have
4m(2m^2 - 4m + 1)

If you distribute the 4m, do you get back the original expression?

Answer 14

oh not sorry so it would be 4m(2m^2 - 3m + 1)

Answer 15

Good.

Answer 16

and would I do anything after that?

Answer 17

Now you have to see if you can factor the 2m^2 - 3m + 1 part of it

Answer 18

ok this is where it gets really tricky for me so do you think you can explain how to do it?

Answer 19

Just try to factor it into something like ( )( )

Answer 20

would it be 4m(2m - 1)(m - 1)?

Answer 21

If you're unsure, expand it all out and check. That's how you check factoring.

4m(2m - 1)(m - 1)
first expand the (2m - 1)(m - 1) and then lastly distribute the 4m

Answer 22

ok so this would be the right answer because I got

(2m - 1)(m - 1)
2m^2 - 2m - m + 1
2m^2 - 3m + 1

Answer 23

Don't forget the 4m, you need to check it gets back to what you started with

Answer 24

4m(2m^2 - 3m + 1)
8m^3 - 12m^2 + 4m