# 7.1 Greatest common factor and factor by grouping

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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
• Find the greatest common factor of two or more expressions
• Factor the greatest common factor from a polynomial
• Factor by grouping

Before you get started, take this readiness quiz.

1. Factor 56 into primes.
If you missed this problem, review [link] .
2. Find the least common multiple of 18 and 24.
If you missed this problem, review [link] .
3. Simplify $-3\left(6a+11\right)$ .
If you missed this problem, review [link] .

## Find the greatest common factor of two or more expressions

Earlier we multiplied factors together to get a product. Now, we will be reversing this process; we will start with a product and then break it down into its factors. Splitting a product into factors is called factoring    .

We have learned how to factor numbers to find the least common multiple (LCM) of two or more numbers. Now we will factor expressions and find the greatest common factor    of two or more expressions. The method we use is similar to what we used to find the LCM.

## Greatest common factor

The greatest common factor    (GCF) of two or more expressions is the largest expression that is a factor of all the expressions.

First we’ll find the GCF of two numbers.

## How to find the greatest common factor of two or more expressions

Find the GCF of 54 and 36.

## Solution

Notice that, because the GCF is a factor of both numbers, 54 and 36 can be written as multiples of 18.

$\begin{array}{c}54=18·3\hfill \\ 36=18·2\hfill \end{array}$

Find the GCF of 48 and 80.

16

Find the GCF of 18 and 40.

2

We summarize the steps we use to find the GCF below.

## Find the greatest common factor (gcf) of two expressions.

1. Factor each coefficient into primes. Write all variables with exponents in expanded form.
2. List all factors—matching common factors in a column. In each column, circle the common factors.
3. Bring down the common factors that all expressions share.
4. Multiply the factors.

In the first example, the GCF was a constant. In the next two examples, we will get variables in the greatest common factor.

Find the greatest common factor of $27{x}^{3}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{and}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}18{x}^{4}$ .

## Solution

 Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. Bring down the common factors. Multiply the factors. The GCF of $27{x}^{3}$ and $18{x}^{4}$ is $9{x}^{3}.$

Find the GCF: $12{x}^{2},18{x}^{3}$ .

$3{x}^{2}$

Find the GCF: $16{y}^{2},24{y}^{3}$ .

$8{y}^{2}$

Find the GCF of $4{x}^{2}y,6x{y}^{3}$ .

## Solution

 Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. Bring down the common factors. Multiply the factors. The GCF of $4{x}^{2}y$ and $6x{y}^{3}$ is $2\mathrm{xy}$ .

Find the GCF: $6a{b}^{4},8{a}^{2}b$ .

$2ab$

Find the GCF: $9{m}^{5}{n}^{2},12{m}^{3}n$ .

$3{m}^{3}n$

Find the GCF of: $21{x}^{3},9{x}^{2},15x$ .

## Solution

 Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. Bring down the common factors. Multiply the factors. The GCF of $21{x}^{3}$ , $9{x}^{2}$ and $15x$ is $3x.$

Find the greatest common factor: $25{m}^{4},35{m}^{3},20{m}^{2}$ .

$5{m}^{2}$

Find the greatest common factor: $14{x}^{3},70{x}^{2},105x$ .

$7x$

## Factor the greatest common factor from a polynomial

Just like in arithmetic, where it is sometimes useful to represent a number in factored form (for example, 12 as $2·6\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{or}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}3·4\right),$ in algebra, it can be useful to represent a polynomial in factored form. One way to do this is by finding the GCF of all the terms. Remember, we multiply a polynomial by a monomial as follows:

4x+7y=29,x+3y=11 substitute method of linear equation
substitute method of linear equation
Srinu
Solve one equation for one variable. Using the 2nd equation, x=11-3y. Substitute that for x in first equation. this will find y. then use the value for y to find the value for x.
bruce
I want to learn
Elizebeth
help
Elizebeth
I want to learn. Please teach me?
Wayne
1) Use any equation, and solve for any of the variables. Since the coefficient of x (the number in front of the x) in the second equation is 1 (it actually isn't shown, but 1 * x = x), use that equation. Subtract 3y from both sides (this isolates the x on the left side of the equal sign).
bruce
2) This results in x=11-3y. x is note in terms of y. Use that as the value of x and substitute for all x in the first equation. The first equation becomes 4(11-3y)+7y =29. Note that the only variable left in the first equation is the y. If you have multiple variable, then something is wrong.
bruce
3) Distribute (multiply) the 4 across 11-3y to get 44-12y. Add this to the 7y. So, the equation is now 44-5y=29.
bruce
4) Solve 44-5y=29 for y. Isolate the y by subtracting 44 from birth sides, resulting in -5y=-15. Now, divide birth sides by -5 (since you have -5y). This results in y=3. You now have the value of one variable.
bruce
5) The last step is to take the value of y from Step 4) and substitute into the 2nd equation. Therefore: x+3y=11 becomes x+3(3)=11. Then multiplying, x+9=11. Finally, solve for x by subtracting 9 from both sides. Therefore, x=2.
bruce
6) The ordered pair of (2, 3) is the proposed solution. To check, substitute those values into either equation. If the result is true, then the solution is correct. 4(2)+7(3)=8+21=29. TRUE! Finished.
bruce
At 1:30 Marlon left his house to go to the beach, a distance of 5.625 miles. He rose his skateboard until 2:15, and then walked the rest of the way. He arrived at the beach at 3:00. Marlon's speed on his skateboard is 1.5 times his walking speed. Find his speed when skateboarding and when walking.
divide 3x⁴-4x³-3x-1 by x-3
how to multiply the monomial
Two sisters like to compete on their bike rides. Tamara can go 4 mph faster than her sister, Samantha. If it takes Samantha 1 hours longer than Tamara to go 80 miles, how fast can Samantha ride her bike? Got questions? Get instant answers now!
how do u solve that question
Seera
Two sisters like to compete on their bike rides. Tamara can go 4 mph faster than her sister, Samantha. If it takes Samantha 1 hours longer than Tamara to go 80 miles, how fast can Samantha ride her bike?
Seera
Speed=distance ÷ time
Tremayne
x-3y =1; 3x-2y+4=0 graph
Brandon has a cup of quarters and dimes with a total of 5.55\$. The number of quarters is five less than three times the number of dimes
app is wrong how can 350 be divisible by 3.
June needs 48 gallons of punch for a party and has two different coolers to carry it in. The bigger cooler is five times as large as the smaller cooler. How many gallons can each cooler hold?
Susanna if the first cooler holds five times the gallons then the other cooler. The big cooler holda 40 gallons and the 2nd will hold 8 gallons is that correct?
Georgie
@Susanna that person is correct if you divide 40 by 8 you can see it's 5 it's simple
Ashley
@Geogie my bad that was meant for u
Ashley
Hi everyone, I'm glad to be connected with you all. from France.
I'm getting "math processing error" on math problems. Anyone know why?
Can you all help me I don't get any of this
4^×=9
Did anyone else have trouble getting in quiz link for linear inequalities?
operation of trinomial