Factoring Basics

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: $n^2 + 2n = n(n + 2)$. The common factor is $n$. Factoring helps you see patterns and cancel terms in fractions.