Name: Taylor

Question: I'm supposed to completely factor this but I don't know what to do with all the variables.

a3b5 - a2b5 - 12ab5.

Does it have anything to do with b5 being a common factor or am I completely off?



Hi Taylor,

You are absolutely correct with your observation that b5 is a common factor. Also a is a common factor so you can write this expression as

a3b5 - a2b5 - 12ab5 = ab5(a2 - a - 12) Can you complete it now?

Penny
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