GCSE factorising revision
Use this GCSE factorising page as a short revision guide before testing your own expression in the solver tool.
What this topic means and what to look for first.
Factorising is a standard GCSE algebra skill and often appears alongside quadratics and expansion.
Revision works best when you combine a few fast examples with one or two checks in reverse.
One reliable route through the topic.
- 1Check for a common factor first.
- 2For quadratics, look for the pair that multiplies to c and adds to b.
- 3Rewrite the expression as brackets.
- 4Expand the brackets to confirm the factorisation.
See the method in action.
Factorise x^2 + 8x + 15
- Look for two numbers that multiply to 15 and add to 8.
- Those numbers are 3 and 5.
- So the factorisation is (x + 3)(x + 5).
Factorise 4y + 20
- Take out the common factor 4.
- So the result is 4(y + 5).
Things that commonly send the method off track.
- Picking numbers that multiply correctly but do not add correctly.
- Missing the common factor before attempting the bracket pair.
Want to test your own problem next?
Use the public page first, then create a free account if you want to try the solver beta on a typed question or photo.
A free account is the current follow-up route for returning to the solver beta and future guide updates as the public library grows.
Want to try a similar problem yourself?
Create a free account if you want to use the solver beta after reading the guide.
A free account is the current follow-up route for returning to the solver beta and future guide updates as the public library grows.
Found this useful?
Share the page with someone who is searching for the same maths topic before they go straight to a solver.
Short answers worth checking.
Common-factor questions and simple quadratic factorisation are the most common starting points.
Expand the brackets again and confirm you return to the original expression.
Continue with the next closely related topic.
Use the public site structure first, then switch into the solver tool only if you need a direct test.
CureMath uses artificial intelligence to suggest how a maths problem could potentially be solved. AI can make mistakes.
Check important answers independently before relying on them.