How would you rewrite the expression 6a^2+12a^5 by factoring out the GCF?
To rewrite the expression 6a^2 + 12a^5 by factoring out the Greatest Common Factor (GCF), we need to find the largest common factor between the two terms.
Step 1: Identify the GCF of the coefficients (numbers):
The coefficients of the two terms are 6 and 12. The GCF is 6, as it is the largest number that evenly divides both 6 and 12.
Step 2: Identify the GCF of the variables (a):
The exponents of the variable "a" are 2 and 5. The GCF of the variables is a^2.
Step 3: Factor out the GCF:
The GCF of the coefficients is 6, and the GCF of the variables is a^2. Therefore, we can factor out the GCF as follows:
6a^2 + 12a^5
= 6(a^2 + 2a^5)
Therefore, the rewritten expression, factoring out the GCF, is 6(a^2 + 2a^5).