Question

How do you Factor completely: `5a^2 + b`?

Answer 1

No common factors`=>` cannot be factored

Explanation:

`5a^2` and `b` have no common factors, thus this is not factorable.

To make this more tangible, think about this:

The whole reason we factor is to simplify an expression. The expression is composed of two different variables, thus it cannot be simplified any further.

If we had `5a^2+a`, this would be factorable, because both terms have an `a` in them. This would be

`a(5a+1)`

So remember, whenever we factor, we look for numbers/variables that all terms have in common.

Hope this helps!