About this video
How to factorise an expression with four terms by grouping them in pairs — an essential technique for Grade 10 algebra.
What it covers
- Spotting when to group (four terms)
- Taking out a common factor from each pair
- Factoring out the common bracket
Extra worked examples
✍️ Extra example: factorise ax + ay + bx + by
- 1Group in pairs: (ax + ay) + (bx + by).Look for pairs that share a factor.
- 2Factor each pair: a(x + y) + b(x + y).Take out a from the first pair, b from the second.
- 3Factor out (x + y): (x + y)(a + b).Both terms now share the bracket (x + y).
Exercises to try
Work each one out, then click to reveal the answer.
- 1Factorise 2x + 2y + ax + ay.
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2(x + y) + a(x + y) = (x + y)(2 + a) - 2Factorise x² + 3x + 4x + 12.
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x(x + 3) + 4(x + 3) = (x + 3)(x + 4) - 3Factorise 6a + 3b + 2ac + bc.
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3(2a + b) + c(2a + b) = (2a + b)(3 + c)
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