26) \( 40 x y+35 x-8 y^{2}-7 y \)

Did you know that factoring polynomials can be like solving a puzzle? For the expression \( 40xy + 35x - 8y^2 - 7y \), you can group terms strategically. Combining like terms, you can rewrite it to factor out common elements, making it easier to analyze or graph! A classic mistake while factoring is overlooking the importance of common factors in all terms. When you see a polynomial, always look for numbers or variables that can be factored out first. For instance, in our expression, you should check for any coefficients or variables shared across all terms before diving deeper into more complicated factoring methods!