Find the Common Factor in 6x² + 8x: Algebraic Terms Practice

We factored the expression

$6x^2+8x$

into its basic terms:

$6\cdot x\cdot x+8\cdot x$

What common factor can be found in these terms?

First, consider the expression $6x^2+8x$. We want to factor out the greatest common factor of the terms.

Both terms, $6x^2$ and $8x$, contain the factor $x$. Therefore, $x$ is a common factor.

But we can keep factoring the numbers as well. $6$ can be factored to $2\cdot3$, and$8$ can be factored to $2\cdot4$.

Write each term showing the factor $x$: $\blue2\cdot3\cdot \orange x\cdot x$ and $\blue 2\cdot4\cdot \orange x$.

Therefore, the greatest common factor is $2\cdot x$.