How do you factor #8x² − 72 #?

2 Answers
P dilip_k
Apr 2, 2016

#8(x^2-3^2)=8(x+3(x-3)#

Andrew I.
Apr 2, 2016

#8(x+3)(x-3)#

Explanation:

First, we can facter #8# out of the expression as the two terms are multiples of #8#.

#8x^2-72=8(x^2-9)#

Now in the brackets we see that we have the difference of 2 squares, (#x^2 = (x)^2 #and #9 = 3^2#) so we can further factorise to:

#8(x+3)(x-3)#

And we're done.

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