Greatest Common Factor

ALWAYS ALWAYS check for the GCF first .

Another way to think of the GCF is to look for the lowest power of each factor that
appears in all terms . What, you say, is with the term thing ? Factors are multiplied.
Terms are separated by a + or a -.

The hot tip for grouping : 4 terms. Here’s a memory device: you can find a GCF IF you
look at the terms 2 by 2. Think of Noah’s ark – the animals went in 2 by 2.

The order to do factoring:

1. GCF
2. Grouping (4 terms, common factor 2by2.)