Year 9 Factorising Expressions (Common Factors) Worksheet — Level 3 — Practice Set 3 — Answers
Answer sheet with worked solutions for the Year 9 algebraic expressions worksheet.
Year 9 Factorising Expressions (Common Factors) Worksheet — Level 3 — Practice Set 3 — Answers
Take out the highest common factor. Where the first term is negative, take out a negative factor.
1.Factorise fully: −20x + 8
Answer: −4(5x − 2)
- Highest common factor: −4
- −20x + 8 = −4(5x − 2)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
2.Factorise fully: 4x2 − 4x + 4
Answer: 4(x2−x+1)
- Highest common factor: 4
- 4x2 − 4x + 4 = 4(x2 − x + 1)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
3.Factorise fully: 20ab + 15a
Answer: 5a(4b + 3)
- Highest common factor: 5a
- 20ab + 15a = 5a(4b + 3)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
4.Factorise fully: −8x + 72
Answer: −8(x − 9)
- Highest common factor: −8
- −8x + 72 = −8(x − 9)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
5.Factorise fully: 16x2 + 24x − 28
Answer: 4(4x2+6x−7)
- Highest common factor: 4
- 16x2 + 24x − 28 = 4(4x2 + 6x − 7)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
6.Factorise fully: 10ab − 18a
Answer: 2a(5b − 9)
- Highest common factor: 2a
- 10ab − 18a = 2a(5b − 9)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
7.Factorise fully: −21x − 49
Answer: −7(3x + 7)
- Highest common factor: −7
- −21x − 49 = −7(3x + 7)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
8.Factorise fully: 10x2 + 5x + 25
Answer: 5(2x2+x+5)
- Highest common factor: 5
- 10x2 + 5x + 25 = 5(2x2 + x + 5)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
9.Factorise fully: 20ab + 35a
Answer: 5a(4b + 7)
- Highest common factor: 5a
- 20ab + 35a = 5a(4b + 7)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
10.Factorise fully: −20x − 32
Answer: −4(5x + 8)
- Highest common factor: −4
- −20x − 32 = −4(5x + 8)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
11.Factorise fully: 12x2 − 12x − 8
Answer: 4(3x2−3x−2)
- Highest common factor: 4
- 12x2 − 12x − 8 = 4(3x2 − 3x − 2)
- Check by expanding the brackets.
12.Factorise fully: 3ab − 27a
Answer: 3a(b − 9)
- Highest common factor: 3a
- 3ab − 27a = 3a(b − 9)
- 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.
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