Rewriting Brackets: How to Factor Out the s & Distribute Power of 6

  • Thread starter umzung
  • Start date
In summary, when factoring an expression and distributing a power, we can use the property that (ab)^n = a^n * b^n to simplify and rewrite the expression.
  • #1
umzung
21
0
Homework Statement
How does one bracket become the other?
Relevant Equations
See the attempt at a solution.
How does
Screenshot 2019-11-26 22.17.43.png
become
Screenshot 2019-11-26 22.17.54.png
?

I can see the s has been factored out and the power of 6 distributed, but how do we know this happens, short of multiplying out the brackets?
 
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  • #2
First factor the s in the top expression. Then what happens with the power 6? I think it will be clearer then.
 
  • #3
umzung said:
Homework Statement: How does one bracket become the other?
Homework Equations: See the attempt at a solution.

How does View attachment 253352become View attachment 253353?

I can see the s has been factored out and the power of 6 distributed, but how do we know this happens, short of multiplying out the brackets?
Just factor the expression inside the parentheses.
##\frac 1 2 s + \frac 1 2 s^2 = s( \frac 1 2 + \frac 1 2 s)##.

Then use the property that ##(ab)^n = a^nb^n##
 
  • #4
Mark44 said:
Just factor the expression inside the parentheses.
##\frac 1 2 s + \frac 1 2 s^2 = s( \frac 1 2 + \frac 1 2 s)##.

Then use the property that ##(ab)^n = a^nb^n##
That's clearer, thanks.
 
  • #5
I would actually go a little further than that. [tex]\frac{1}{2}s+ \frac{1}{2}s^2= \frac{1}{2}s(1+ s)[/tex] so that [tex]\left(\frac{1}{2}s+ \frac{1}{2}s^2\right)^6= \frac{1}{64}s^6(1+ s)^6[/tex].
 

1. What does it mean to factor out the s in rewriting brackets?

Factoring out the s in rewriting brackets means to identify and remove the common factor of s from each term within the brackets. This simplifies the expression and makes it easier to solve.

2. Why is it important to factor out the s in rewriting brackets?

Factoring out the s helps to simplify the expression and make it easier to solve. It also allows us to identify any common factors and potentially find the greatest common factor.

3. What is the power of 6 and how is it distributed?

The power of 6 refers to the exponent on the variable or number within the brackets. Distributing the power of 6 means to multiply each term within the brackets by the power of 6. For example, (x+3)^6 would become x^6 + 18x^5 + 135x^4 + 540x^3 + 1215x^2 + 1458x + 729.

4. Can you give an example of how to factor out the s and distribute the power of 6?

Sure, let's take the expression (2s+4)^6 as an example. First, we can factor out the common factor of 2 to get 2(s+2)^6. Then, we can distribute the power of 6 by multiplying each term within the brackets by 2^6, resulting in 64(s^6 + 12s^5 + 60s^4 + 160s^3 + 240s^2 + 192s + 64).

5. What are some tips for factoring out the s and distributing the power of 6 efficiently?

One tip is to always look for the greatest common factor and start by factoring that out. Also, when distributing the power of 6, be careful to apply the exponent to each term within the brackets. It may also be helpful to use the FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) method to distribute the power of 6 efficiently.

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