PrerequisitesPrerequisite

Factorising a common factor

Take out the greatest numerical and letter factor shared by every term.

  • Find the highest common factor of the coefficients.
  • For each shared letter, take the smallest power present.
  • Divide each term by the outside factor to find the bracket.

Example 1

Numbers and letters

Factorise fully.

Example 2

Factorise completely

Write the expression as a product of factors.

Remember
Expand your result to check that every original term is recovered.

Your turn

5 practice questions
Question 1

Factorise fully.

Check answer
Question 2

Factorise fully.

Check answer
Question 3

Factorise fully.

Check answer
Question 4

Factorise fully.

Check answer
Question 5

Factorise fully.

Check answer
← All Prerequisites cardsReport a mistake