<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.prepswift.com/quizzes/quiz/prepswift-factoring-stuff-out">Factoring Stuff Out Exercise</a></p><p>We can break up terms in an expression and find out what they share. It's like finding out their common interests!</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p>$3x - 6x^2$</p>
<ul>
<li>Break it down: $(3 \times x) - (3 \times 2 \times x \times x)$</li>
<li>Notice that both terms each have a $3$ and an $x$.</li>
<li>Factor it out: $3x(1 - 2x)$</li>
</ul>
<p>We can do this with more complicated examples too:</p>
<p>$16xy^3 - 4x^2y + 6xy^2$</p>
<ul>
<li>Break it down: $(2^4 \times x \times y^3) - (2^2 \times x^2 \times y) + (2 \times 3 \times x \times y^2)$</li>
<li>Notice that each term has one $2$, one $x$, and one $y$.</li>
<li>Factor it out: $2xy(8y^2 - 2x + 3y)$</li>
</ul>