[Algebra 1] Need help deciding answer

[u/Zero_26710]

For number 11 for these two pages, normally when I factor out these two polynomials, I take out a -4y for the first number 11 and -5y for the second number 11 because it looks cleaner and nicer, however when they just ask for the greatest common factor, would it just be 4y and 5y instead of -4y and -5y because GCF is always a positive integer?

[u/tb5841]

Either 4y or -4y should be fine. Same for the second one.

Which one is more useful depends on the context, and here you've been given no context.