Factoring Polynomials with the Greatest Common Factor

Why do most people find factoring difficult?

• Because it is not taught in schools.

• Because it requires memorizing many formulas.

• Because they lack a true understanding of how or why it works.

• Because it involves complex calculations.

What is the first step in factoring a binomial?

• Finding the product of the terms.

• Finding the difference of the terms.

• Finding the sum of the terms.

• Finding the Greatest Common Factor (GCF).

What is the GCF of the numbers 4 and 8?

• 1

• 8

• 4

• 2

When finding the GCF of variables, what should you look for first?

• The smallest exponent.

• The same variable.

• The coefficient.

• The largest exponent.

What is the GCF of the variables a^2 and a?

• a^2

• a

• a^3

• 1

What do you write next to the GCF when factoring a binomial?

• A plus sign.

• A minus sign.

• Parentheses.

• A multiplication sign.

What do you multiply 4a by to get 4a^2?

• 4a

• 2a

• a

• 1

What do you multiply 4a by to get 8a?

• 1

• 4

• 8

• 2

How do you verify that you have factored a binomial correctly?

• By adding the terms.

• By using the distributive property.

• By dividing the terms.

• By subtracting the terms.

What is the result of distributing 4a to (a - 2)?

• 4a^2 + 8a

• 4a^2 - 8a

• 4a + 8

• 4a - 8