Common factor of two terms
The question
42x + 6
42x + 6
42x + 6
426
42:12367142142
6:1236
GCF = 6
6(7x + 1)
42x + 6=6(7x + 1)
- First look for a factor every term shares. The numbers here are 42, 6 — find the biggest number that divides all of them.
- List what divides each one and look for the biggest they all share. 42: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, 42 6: 1, 2, 3, 6.
- The biggest number in all of those lists is 6. Take it out in front and divide every term by it: 42 ÷ 6 = 7, 6 ÷ 6 = 1.
- Check the bracket: 7x + 1 — those numbers share nothing but 1, so nothing more comes out. 42x + 6 = 6(7x + 1).
How it works.
- 01
First look for a factor every term shares. The numbers here are 42, 6 — find the biggest number that divides all of them.
- 02
List what divides each one and look for the biggest they all share. 42: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 21, 42 6: 1, 2, 3, 6.
- 03
The biggest number in all of those lists is 6. Take it out in front and divide every term by it: 42 ÷ 6 = 7, 6 ÷ 6 = 1.
- 04
Check the bracket: 7x + 1 — those numbers share nothing but 1, so nothing more comes out. 42x + 6 = 6(7x + 1).