1. Let's start by understanding the problem: factoring out the common term means finding the greatest common factor (GCF) in all terms of an expression and rewriting the expression as a product of the GCF and the remaining terms. 2. The formula or rule used is: $$a \cdot b + a \cdot c = a(b + c)$$ where $a$ is the common factor. 3. Important rule: The common factor must divide each term exactly. 4. Example: Factor out the common term in $$6x + 9$$. 5. Find the GCF of 6 and 9, which is 3. 6. Rewrite each term as a product of 3: $$6x = 3 \times 2x$$ and $$9 = 3 \times 3$$. 7. Factor out 3: $$6x + 9 = 3(2x + 3)$$. 8. What changes is the expression is now a product of the common factor and a simpler expression inside parentheses, which can make further operations easier. 9. This process helps simplify expressions and solve equations more efficiently.