In Exercises 1–22, factor the greatest common factor from each polynomial.32x⁴ + 2x³ + 8x²
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Identify the greatest common factor (GCF) of the coefficients: 32, 2, and 8. The GCF is 2.
Identify the smallest power of x in the terms: x⁴, x³, and x². The smallest power is x².
Combine the GCF of the coefficients and the smallest power of x to find the overall GCF, which is 2x².
Factor out the GCF (2x²) from each term in the polynomial: 32x⁴, 2x³, and 8x².
Write the polynomial as a product of the GCF and the remaining polynomial: 2x²(16x² + x + 4).
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Greatest Common Factor (GCF)
The Greatest Common Factor is the largest polynomial that divides each term of a polynomial without leaving a remainder. To find the GCF, identify the highest power of each variable and the largest coefficient common to all terms. This concept is essential for simplifying polynomials and is the first step in factoring.
Factoring polynomials involves rewriting a polynomial as a product of its factors. This process often starts with identifying the GCF, which can then be factored out, simplifying the polynomial into a more manageable form. Understanding how to factor is crucial for solving polynomial equations and simplifying expressions.
A polynomial is an expression consisting of variables raised to non-negative integer powers and their coefficients. Each part of a polynomial is called a term, and the degree of a polynomial is determined by the highest power of its variable. Recognizing the structure of polynomial terms is vital for identifying the GCF and performing factorization.