Q. Factor the expression completely.−16x4+40Answer:
Identify GCF: First, identify the greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms in the expression −16x4 and 40. The GCF of −16 and 40 is 8, and since there is no x term in 40, x cannot be part of the GCF. So, we factor out −8 from both terms.
Factor Out GCF: Now, write the expression as a product of the GCF and the remaining terms.−16x4+40=−8(2x4−5)Check to ensure that when you distribute −8 back into the parentheses, you get the original expression.−8×2x4=−16x4 and −8×(−5)=40, which is correct.
Write as Product: Next, look inside the parentheses to see if the expression 2x4−5 can be factored further. Since 2x4 is a term with an even power of x and 5 is a prime number, there are no common factors and it is not a difference of squares or any other factorable form. Therefore, the expression inside the parentheses cannot be factored further.
Check Distribution: The expression is now fully factored.The completely factored form of the expression −16x4+40 is −8(2x4−5).
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