Question

What is the greatest common factor of `42a^5b^3, 35a^3b^4, and 42ab^4`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, factor each term as:

`42a^5b^3 = 2 xx 3 xx color(red)(7) xx color(red)(a) xx a xx a xx a xx a xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b)`

`35a^3b^4 = 5 xx color(red)(7) xx color(red)(a) xx a xx a xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) xx b xx color(red)(b)`

`42ab^4 = 2 xx 3 xx color(red)(7) xx color(red)(a) xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) xx b`

Now, take the common factors from each term and combine them to create the Greatest Common Factor:

`color(red)(7) xx color(red)(a) xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) xx color(red)(b) = 7ab^3`