Question

Factorise the following:
x³y³ - 8x²y² + 15xy

Answer 1

x³y³ - 8x²y² + 15xy
= x³y³ - 3x²y² - 5x²y² + 15xy
= x²y²(xy - 3) - 5xy(xy - 3)
= (xy - 3)(x²y² - 5xy)
= (xy - 3)xy(xy - 5)
= xy(xy - 3)(xy - 5).