Final answer:
The greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms of the polynomial 6x⁴ + 24x³ - 72x² is 2x².
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms of the polynomial 6x4 + 24x3 - 72x2, we need to find the largest number that can evenly divide each term in the polynomial. First, let's factor out the greatest common factor: 6x4 = 2x2 * 3x2, 24x3 = 2x2 * 2 * 2 * 3x, -72x2 = -2x2 * 2 * 2 * 3. The greatest common factor is the product of the common factors raised to the smallest exponent: 2x2.