Factoring

__**Undoing the Distributive Property**__
by: Anthony S.

When you want to undo the distributive property do the following:
 * 1) See what number evenly goes into all of your terms. (Preferably the Greatest Common Factor of all of the terms)
 * 2) Put that number outside the parenthesis a
 * 3) Inside the parenthesis write what is left after you divide each of the original terms by the factor of both of your numbers.


 * Example 1:**

Factoring..... 2x+6 The greatest common factor of 2x and 6 is **2**. Thus we have, 2x + 6 = 2(x+3)


 * Example 2:**

Factoring......12x+20 The greatest common factor of 12x and 20 is **4**. Thus we have, 12x + 20 = 4(3x+5)

As you can see 4(3x)=12x and 4(5)=20. Adding your terms together gives 12x + 20.

edited by: Mr. Rochester