Question: Factor the expression 3x^2 - 12.
Options:
Correct Answer: 3(x^2 - 4)
Solution:
First, factor out the greatest common factor, which is 3. This gives us 3(x^2 - 4). Then, x^2 - 4 can be factored as (x - 2)(x + 2). So, the complete factorization is 3(x - 2)(x + 2).