When given an algrebraic expression of the form
$$ \ 6A + 7{A^2}\ $$
and asked to simplify, would the correct answer be
a) $$ \ A(6 + 7A)\ $$
or
b) That this cannot be simplified further
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$\begingroup$"Simplify" is not particularly well-defined. For the expression by itself, I think (b) might be the more common textbook answer; if the expression were the denominator of a rational expression, (a) is more likely to be useful.
$\endgroup$ $\begingroup$There can be no meaningful answer without a prior definition of "simpler". What is simplest or most useful is highly context dependent. For example, in some particular contexts it might prove "simpler" to employ $\rm\;A^2 + 6A(A+1)\;$ instead of either of the above forms.
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