How can you tell they’ve got it: Factorising Expressions?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Identify the highest common factor of all terms in an expression; Write the factorised form as a product of the HCF and a bracket; Check factorisation by expanding the brackets back out. Or just try it together: Can your child look at an expression like "6x + 9" and rewrite it with the common factor taken out — as "3(2x + 3)"?

Mathematics Algebra Ages 12–13

Factorising Expressions

Your child can take a common factor out of an expression, rewriting 6x + 9 as 3(2x + 3).

In curriculum terms

Factorise algebraic expressions by taking out common factors — identify the highest common factor of all terms and write the expression as a product, e.g., 6x + 9 = 3(2x + 3)

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Identify the highest common factor of all terms in an expression
Write the factorised form as a product of the HCF and a bracket
Check factorisation by expanding the brackets back out

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

Can your child look at an expression like "6x + 9" and rewrite it with the common factor taken out — as "3(2x + 3)"?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Expanding Single Bracketsages 11–13Factorising is the reverse of expanding — students need expanding fluency first

Factorising Expressionsthis skill · ages 12–13

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits beyond Year 6 in the Australian Curriculum, so no F–6 code is matched. It also sits beyond the NSW K–6 syllabuses. It also sits beyond Level 6 in the Victorian Curriculum.

Nearby on the map

Linear Function Graphsages 12–14 Nth-Term Rulesages 12–14 Plotting Linear Graphsages 12–14 Simple formulaeages 12–14

All Algebra skills →