how do you factor out the greatest common factor? 6x^3-12x^2

1 Answer
Mar 16, 2018

6x^2(x-2)

Explanation:

You split it into parts, each term individually.

First the numbers: 6 and 12. Their greatest common factor is 6.

Then the x variable: x^3 and x^2. Their greatest common factor is x^2.

What's left is x-2, which you put inside a parenthesis multiplied with the common factors.

Which means: 6x^2(x-2)