Factoring a number is writing it into its prime factors multiplying with each other. For example; we can factorize "6" as follows;
6 = 2 . 3 ( Which is 6 equals 2 times 3)
We can say that 6 is a monomial (as all the numbers are monomials). A monomial is a polynomial with only one term.
So when we wrote 6 = 2 . 3 we have factorize a polynomial (or we can say a monomial).
Similarly we can factorize an algebraic monomial.
What an algebraic monomial is?
An algebraic monomial is a polynomial with only one term having variable. For example "9x" is an algebraic monomial. It has only one term "9x" with coefficient "9" and variable "x" and we can factorize 9x as follows;
9x = 3 . 3 . x
Please note that above is the key to open all the other doors for factoring polynomials. Once mastering it we can learn how factor a polynomial by factoring out the greatest common factor of all the terms of a given polynomial. I have solved some examples on the concepts below;
Next post we will explore how to use difference of squares to factorize polynomials.