Write 24 + 36 as a product

Step by step

The question

Question: write 24 + 36 as a product, using the biggest common factor.

1 Find the GCF

A factor of 24 is a whole number that goes into 24 exactly.

Nothing is left over.

The factors of 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24.

The factors of 36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36.

The biggest number in both lists is 12.

2 Take it out

24 is 12 times 2.

36 is 12 times 3.

Both parts have times 12.

So we take the 12 out, in front of a bracket: 12(2 + 3).

This is the distributive property, backwards.

Careful!

We need the brackets.

Without them, the 12 times only the 2.

3 Check

Let's check: 12 times 5 is 60.

And 24 plus 36 is 60.

The same.

So the answer is right!

Let's look back.

First: find the GCF.

Then: take it out.

Last: check.