Factoring is the reverse of distributing. You pull out common factors from terms. If you see 6x+9, both terms share a factor of 3.
Factor out the 3: 6x+9=3(2x+3). This is useful for simplifying expressions and solving equations.
Another example: n2+2n=n(n+2). The common factor is n. Factoring helps you see patterns and cancel terms in fractions.