What is the greatest common factor of 3x3 6xy 9x2 12x2y2?

Answer 1

First we need to find the prime factorization of each expression: 3*3: 3*3 6*y: 3*2*y 9*2: 3*3*2 12*2y*2: 3*2*2*2*y Now look at each line and see what "terms" (note that each number counts as one "term") all four lines have in common. The only "term" in common is one 3, thus the greatest common factor is 3. Note: I assumed "12x2y2" meant 12*2*2*y, if it's 12*2*y^2, the prime factorization becomes: 3*2^2*y*y. The greatest common factor does not change, however. * is the multiplication symbol (3*3 means 3+3+3). ^ is the exponential function (i.e. the small number that is written on the top half of a standard line, 4^2 means 4*4).