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A polynomial is an expression made of terms added or subtracted together, where each term is a number times a power of , like . The degree is the largest exponent, which is here. The leading coefficient is the number in front of that term, which is .
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To factor means to rewrite something as a multiplication. Always start by pulling out the greatest common factor: the biggest number and the most letters that every term shares. For , that is , and the answer is .
After the common factor, check for a difference of squares, then use the two-number trick for . Multiply back out to check. A zero comes from a factor: if , then is a factor.