Hello, Can someone help me with GCF? What I know, GCF is the greatest common factor in the equation AFTER you break it down. How do I break it down with exponents?

Question

oswaldmurphy · Answer

Wait I think I get it. Say, 3x^3 + 9x^2 + 15x^5
GCF is 3. The gcf of the variables would be X correct?
3x?

rayaz · Answer

the gcf including the variable would be 3x^2

rayaz · Answer

$$3x^3 + 9x^2 + 15x^5$$
$$3x^2(x + 3 + 5x^3)$$

phi · Answer

3x^3 + 9x^2 + 15x^5

if we "write out" x^3 as x*x*x, and the same for the other x's
and "factor" the numbers (if you know how to do that)
we get:

3*x*x*x + 3*3*x*x + 3*5*x*x*x*x*x

phi · Answer

once you get it into that form, you look for the "same thing" in each term
you can see each term as at least one "3"
once we "pull out" a 3 we have left:
x*x*x + 3*x*x + 5*x*x*x*x*x

now we can "pull out"  x*x  from each term
we are left with
x + 3 + 5*x*x*x
and we can't do any more.

the GCF is the 3*x*x  or 3x^2

oswaldmurphy · Answer

Thank you that makes more since now.