Final answer:
To expand an expression as a product of factors, you need to break down the expression into individual factors by identifying common factors and prime factors. Combine these factors to express the expression as a product of factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Expanding an expression as a product of factors involves breaking down the expression into its individual factors. To do this, you need to identify any common factors or patterns within the expression. Here is a step-by-step process:
- Identify any common factors between the terms of the expression.
- Break down each term into its prime factors.
- Combine the common factors and prime factors to express the expression as a product of factors.
For example, let's expand the expression 6x2 + 9xy:
Step 1: The common factor between 6x2 and 9xy is 3x.
Step 2: Breaking down each term into prime factors: 6x2 = 2 * 3 * x * x, 9xy = 3 * 3 * x * y.
Step 3: Combining the common and prime factors: 6x2 + 9xy = 3x * (2 * x) + 3 * 3 * x * y = 3x(2x + 3y).