Answer
(w-8)(w+1)
Work Step by Step
Given the polynomial
$w^{2}$ - 7w - 8
*** We break of the middle term into two factors that add to give -7 and multiply to give -8. The two numbers are -8 and +1.
$w^{2}$ - 8w + 1w - 8
We take the GCD of the first two and the GDC of the last two terms.
w(w-8) +1(w-8)
We take (w-8) and factor it out which gives us.
(w-8)(w+1)
