How do you factor completely $a^2 - ab - a + b$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-04-06T12:56:49

$=color(green)( (a -1 ) ( a -b)$

$a^2 - ab - a + b$

Factorising by grouping:

We can factor this expression by making groups of two terms:
$(a^2 - ab) + ( - a + b)$

$a$ is common to both the terms in the first group, and $-1$ is common to both the terms in the second group:

$= a( a -b) - 1(a-b)$
$a-b$ is common to both the terms now:

$=color(green)( (a -1 ) ( a -b)$

How do you factor completely a^2 - ab - a + ba^2 - ab - a + b?