help with factor

a[sup:1q1c67q7]6[/sup:1q1c67q7]b[sup:1q1c67q7]2[/sup:1q1c67q7]-a[sup:1q1c67q7]5[/sup:1q1c67q7]b[sup:1q1c67q7]3[/sup:1q1c67q7]-a[sup:1q1c67q7]2[/sup:1q1c67q7]b[sup:1q1c67q7]2[/sup:1q1c67q7]

Can someone please give me the step by step on how to factor the above?

Thanks.

The thing to do is to factor out the smallest power of each term, a and b.

What is the smallest power a term?. a^2

What is the smallest power b term?. b^2

Factor those out and remember when we multiply exponential terms, we add the exponents.

Can you get it now OK?. Let us see what you get.

Yes, I've got that far.

a^2b^2(a^4-a^3b-1)

Then what?

That's it. All done. You have it. Good