Break Down the Expression: Simplifying 4x² + 3x Step by Step

Breaking down shows the individual factors within each term, like $4x^2 = 4 \cdot x \cdot x$. Factoring pulls out common factors from the entire expression, like $x(4x + 3)$.

When breaking down terms, you want to show all the individual factors. Writing $x \cdot x$ makes it clear that $x^2$ means 'x multiplied by itself'.

Yes! The dots (·) or explicit multiplication symbols show that you're breaking the term into its separate factors. This is what 'breaking down' means.

The coefficient 4 is already a single factor, so $4x^2$ becomes $4 \cdot x \cdot x$. The 4 stays as-is, but $x^2$ breaks into $x \cdot x$.

You could break it down further: $12x^2 = 12 \cdot x \cdot x$ or even $3 \cdot 4 \cdot x \cdot x$. But usually, single-digit coefficients are left as single factors.