Question
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2. Susan incorrectly factored the expression below. \[ \begin{array}{l}12 a-15 b+6 \\ 3(4 a+5 b+3)\end{array} \] a. Explain any errors Susan may have made when factoring. Factor the expression correctly.

Ask by Potter Welch. in the United States
Jan 24,2025

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Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

Susan incorrectly factored the expression by using the wrong signs and a different constant term. The correct factorization is \( 3(4a - 5b + 2) \).

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Beyond the Answer

Susan's mistake likely stems from not properly identifying the common factors present in the terms of the expression. She factored out a 3, but didn't consider that there are other common factors in the terms, particularly in the coefficients of \(12a\) and \(-15b\) as well as the constant \(6\). The greatest common factor (GCF) should be determined first. The expression \(12a - 15b + 6\) can be factored correctly by noticing that the GCF of the coefficients \(12\), \(-15\), and \(6\) is \(3\). So, we factor out \(3\) to get: \[ 3(4a - 5b + 2) \] This ensures that we properly simplify and factor the expression correctly!

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