factorise 3x - 12
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to factorise the expression 3x - 12. This involves finding common factors in the expression and rewriting it in a product form.
Answer
The factored form of \(3x - 12\) is \(3(x - 4)\).
Answer for screen readers
The factored form of the expression (3x - 12) is (3(x - 4)).
Steps to Solve
- Identify the common factor
Look at the expression (3x - 12) and identify the greatest common factor (GCF) of the two terms, (3x) and (-12). The GCF of 3 and 12 is 3.
- Factor out the GCF
Now, rewrite the expression by factoring out the GCF (which is 3). This gives us:
$$ 3(x - 4) $$
- Rewrite the expression in factored form
Thus, the completely factored form of the expression (3x - 12) is:
$$ 3(x - 4) $$
The factored form of the expression (3x - 12) is (3(x - 4)).
More Information
Factoring helps simplify expressions and can also make them easier to solve when setting equations to zero. This technique is often used in algebra to break down polynomials.
Tips
- Forgetting to factor out the greatest common factor.
- Mistaking constants for variables when identifying factors.
- Misapplying the distributive property when rewriting the expression.
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