Factorize the Expression: 16xa² + 80x/a - 40a³

Polynomial Factorization with Mixed Terms

Decompose the following expression into factors:

16xa2+80xa40a3 16xa^2+\frac{80x}{a}-40a^3

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Factor into components
00:04 Factor 16 into components 8 and 2
00:12 Factor 80 into components 8 and 10
00:18 Factor 40 into components 8 and 5
00:21 Factor power of 3 into square and multiplication
00:33 Mark the common factors
01:22 Take out the common factors from the parentheses
01:33 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

Decompose the following expression into factors:

16xa2+80xa40a3 16xa^2+\frac{80x}{a}-40a^3

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve the expression 16xa2+80xa40a3 16xa^2 + \frac{80x}{a} - 40a^3 by decomposing it into factors, we need to follow a series of detailed steps:

Step 1: Identify common factors among the terms.
Observe that the terms are 16xa2 16xa^2 , 80xa \frac{80x}{a} , and 40a3 -40a^3 .
- Each term involves either x x or a a . The coefficient common factor is 8.

Step 2: Extract the common factor.
Examine each term for their factors.
- 16xa2=82xa2 16xa^2 = 8 \cdot 2xa^2
- 80xa=810xa \frac{80x}{a} = 8 \cdot \frac{10x}{a}
- 40a3=8(5a3) -40a^3 = 8 \cdot (-5a^3)
The common factor across all three is 8 8 .

Step 3: Factor out the common factor.
We factor out the common 8, resulting in:
8(2xa2+10xa5a3) 8(2xa^2 + \frac{10x}{a} - 5a^3) .

Step 4: Further observe terms to simplify.
Notice that within 8(...) 8(...) , each term can factor out one more common factor, which is a a :
- 2xa2=a2ax 2xa^2 = a \cdot 2ax
- 10xa=a10xa2 \frac{10x}{a} = a \cdot \frac{10x}{a^2}
- 5a3=a(5a2) -5a^3 = a \cdot (-5a^2)
Thus, we factor out a a , yielding:

Thus, the expression simplifies as:
8a(2ax+10xa25a2) 8a(2ax + \frac{10x}{a^2} - 5a^2) .

Therefore, the decomposed form of the expression is 8a(2ax+10xa25a2) 8a(2ax+\frac{10x}{a^2}-5a^2) , matching choice 1.

3

Final Answer

8a(2ax+10xa25a2) 8a(2ax+\frac{10x}{a^2}-5a^2)

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Common Factor: Extract greatest common factor from all terms first
  • Technique: Factor out 8 from coefficients: 16, 80, -40 all divisible
  • Check: Expand 8a(2ax+10xa25a2) 8a(2ax+\frac{10x}{a^2}-5a^2) to verify original expression ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Only factoring numerical coefficients
    Don't just factor out 8 from coefficients and ignore variable factors = incomplete factorization! This leaves common variable factors unfactored, making the expression more complex than needed. Always check for both numerical AND variable common factors like the 'a' in this problem.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Break down the expression into basic terms:

\( 4x^2 + 6x \)

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I factor out x from all terms?

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Look carefully at the third term 40a3 -40a^3 - it has no x variable! You can only factor out variables that appear in every single term.

How do I handle the fraction term when factoring?

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Treat 80xa \frac{80x}{a} like any other term. When you factor out 8a, you get 80xa÷8a=10xa2 \frac{80x}{a} ÷ 8a = \frac{10x}{a^2} . The fraction stays in the factored form!

What's the difference between the correct and incorrect answers?

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The correct answer 8a(2ax+10xa25a2) 8a(2ax+\frac{10x}{a^2}-5a^2) properly factors out both 8 and 'a'. The wrong answer 8ax(...) 8ax(...) incorrectly factors out 'x' which isn't in all terms.

How can I check if my factorization is correct?

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Expand your answer! Multiply 8a 8a by each term inside the parentheses. If you get back to 16xa2+80xa40a3 16xa^2+\frac{80x}{a}-40a^3 , you're correct!

Why does the fraction become more complex after factoring?

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When factoring out 'a' from 80xa \frac{80x}{a} , you're dividing by 'a', which gives 80xa÷a=80xa2 \frac{80x}{a} ÷ a = \frac{80x}{a^2} . Then factoring out 8 gives 10xa2 \frac{10x}{a^2} .

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