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)#