How do you factor #2x^2 - 40x#?

1 Answer
Jul 12, 2016

#2x(x-20)#

Explanation:

Remember that factoring means to "take out" a common factor from each term, namely one from #2x^2# and one from #40x#.

It happens to be the case that both, #2x^2# and #40x# are divisible by #2#, and both share an #x#, which means that we can take out a #2# as well as an #x#, giving us

#2x^2 - 40x -> 2x(x-20)#