How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies (2024)

Factoring is the opposite of distributing. When distributing, you multiply a series of terms by a common factor. When factoring, you seek to find what a series of terms have in common and then take it away, dividing the common factor out from each term.

Think of each term as a numerator and then find the same denominator for each. By factoring out, the factor is put outside the parentheses or brackets and all the results of the divisions are left inside.

The proper way to factor an expression is to write the prime factorization of each of the numbers and look for the greatest common factor. A more practical and quicker way is to look for the largest factor that you can easily recognize. Factor it out and then see if the numbers within the parentheses need to be factored again. Repeat the division until the terms within the parentheses are relatively prime.

Example: Follow these steps to factor out the expression

How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies (1)

  1. Determine a common factor.

    A common factor is 2.

  2. Divide each term by the common factor and write the results of the division in parentheses, with the factor out in front.

    How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies (2)

  3. Determine whether you can factor out any other terms.

    The terms left in the parentheses are still too large. They all still a common factor of 4. Factoring out 4, you get:

    How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies (3)

  4. Simplify the answer.

    If you factor out a 4 after factoring out the 2, then the product of 4 and 2 (which is 8), is the total amount you factored out. The final answer is

    How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies (4)

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How to Factor Out Numbers  - dummies (2024)

FAQs

How to Factor Out Numbers - dummies? ›

To calculate the factors of large numbers, divide the numbers with the least prime number, i.e. 2. If the number is not divisible by 2, move to the next prime numbers, i.e. 3 and so on until 1 is reached.

How do you factor numbers easily? ›

To calculate the factors of large numbers, divide the numbers with the least prime number, i.e. 2. If the number is not divisible by 2, move to the next prime numbers, i.e. 3 and so on until 1 is reached.

How do you factor a number out? ›

Factoring a number is when you simplify the number into smaller products (or factors) of the number. For example, 2 and 6 are factors of 12 because 2 × 6 equals 12. The easiest way to factor a number is to try and divide it by the smallest prime number, such as 2 or 3.

How do you factor math step by step? ›

Step 1: Group the first two terms together and then the last two terms together. Step 2: Factor out a GCF from each separate binomial. Step 3: Factor out the common binomial. Note that if we multiply our answer out, we do get the original polynomial.

How to factor in simple terms? ›

Every number has at least two factors. To find other factors, start dividing the number starting from two and working your way up until you reach that number divided by 2. Any quotient that does not have a remainder means that both the divisor and the quotient are factors of that number.

What is the formula to factor? ›

Some important factoring formulas are given as, (a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b. (a - b)2 = a2 - 2ab + b. (a + b) (a - b) = a2 - b.

What is an example of a simple factoring? ›

Factor expressions, also known as factoring, mean rewriting the expression as the product of factors. For example, 3x + 12y can be factored into a simple expression of 3 (x + 4y). In this way, the calculations become easier. The terms 3 and (x + 4y) are known as factors.

What is the factor rule in math? ›

Factoring Rules
  • x2 – (r + s)x + rs = (x – r)(x – s)
  • x2 + 2ax + a2 = (x + a)2 and x2 – 2ax + a2 = (x – a)2
  • Difference of squares: a2 – b2 = (a – b)(a + b)
  • Difference of cubes: a3 – b3 = (a – b)(a2 + ab + b2)
  • a4 – b4 = (a – b)(a3 + a2b + ab2 + b3) = (a – b) [ a2(a + b) + b2(a + b) ] = (a – b)(a + b)(a2 + b2)

What are the 4 steps of factoring? ›

The Solve by Factoring process will require four major steps:
  • Move all terms to one side of the equation, usually the left, using addition or subtraction.
  • Factor the equation completely.
  • Set each factor equal to zero, and solve.
  • List each solution from Step 3 as a solution to the original equation.

How to find common factors quickly? ›

To find common factors of two numbers, first, list out all the factors of two numbers separately and then compare them. Now write the factors which are common to both the numbers. These factors are called common factors of given two numbers.

What are the 5 ways to factor? ›

The following factoring methods will be used in this lesson:
  • Factoring out the GCF.
  • The sum-product pattern.
  • The grouping method.
  • The perfect square trinomial pattern.
  • The difference of squares pattern.

How do you factor fractions easily? ›

Fractions are simplified by dividing numerator and denominator by the same number, until they have no common factors. Using factoring in this case is very simple: we factor the numerator and denominator, then cancel out the common factors, and finally multiply the remaining factors.

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