Year 9 Factorising Expressions (Common Factors) Worksheet — Level 3 — Practice Set 4 — Answers
Answer sheet with worked solutions for the Year 9 algebraic expressions worksheet.
Year 9 Factorising Expressions (Common Factors) Worksheet — Level 3 — Practice Set 4 — Answers
Take out the highest common factor. Where the first term is negative, take out a negative factor.
1.Factorise fully: −28x − 63
Answer: −7(4x + 9)
- Highest common factor: −7
- −28x − 63 = −7(4x + 9)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
2.Factorise fully: 3x2 − 21x + 15
Answer: 3(x2−7x+5)
- Highest common factor: 3
- 3x2 − 21x + 15 = 3(x2 − 7x + 5)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
3.Factorise fully: 9ab + 3a
Answer: 3a(3b + 1)
- Highest common factor: 3a
- 9ab + 3a = 3a(3b + 1)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
4.Factorise fully: −15x − 40
Answer: −5(3x + 8)
- Highest common factor: −5
- −15x − 40 = −5(3x + 8)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
5.Factorise fully: 12x2 + 21x + 24
Answer: 3(4x2+7x+8)
- Highest common factor: 3
- 12x2 + 21x + 24 = 3(4x2 + 7x + 8)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
6.Factorise fully: 12ab − 4a
Answer: 4a(3b − 1)
- Highest common factor: 4a
- 12ab − 4a = 4a(3b − 1)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
7.Factorise fully: −4x + 32
Answer: −4(x − 8)
- Highest common factor: −4
- −4x + 32 = −4(x − 8)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
8.Factorise fully: 3x2 − 12x − 6
Answer: 3(x2−4x−2)
- Highest common factor: 3
- 3x2 − 12x − 6 = 3(x2 − 4x − 2)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
9.Factorise fully: 12ab + 32a
Answer: 4a(3b + 8)
- Highest common factor: 4a
- 12ab + 32a = 4a(3b + 8)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
10.Factorise fully: −16x − 20
Answer: −4(4x + 5)
- Highest common factor: −4
- −16x − 20 = −4(4x + 5)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
11.Factorise fully: 3x2 − 18x − 18
Answer: 3(x2−6x−6)
- Highest common factor: 3
- 3x2 − 18x − 18 = 3(x2 − 6x − 6)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
12.Factorise fully: 3ab − 12a
Answer: 3a(b − 4)
- Highest common factor: 3a
- 3ab − 12a = 3a(b − 4)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.