How do you find the gcf of #8a^2b + 4ab - 12ab^2#?

2 Answers
Jul 1, 2015

Find the largest number and highest degree of each variable that can be divided evenly into the expression.

Explanation:

#8a^2b+4ab-12ab^2#

Largest number = #4#
Highest degree of #a# = #a#
Highest degree of #b# = #b#

Multiply the results to get the GCF of #4ab#.

Factor out #4ab#.

#4ab(2a+1-3b)#

Jul 1, 2015

gcf (Greatest Common Factor) of #8a^2b+4ab−12ab^2# is #4ab#

Explanation:

Factoring each term independently:
#8a^2b = 2xx2xx2xxaxxaxxb#
#4ab= 2xx2xxaxxb#
#12ab^2 = 2xx2xx3xxaxxbxxb#

Extracting the factors common to all three terms:
#2xx2xxaxxb = 4ab#