What is the process of rewriting an expression as a product of its factors called?

The process of rewriting an expression as a product of its factors is called factoring. When you factor an expression, you identify common elements or patterns within the expression that allow you to break it down into simpler components that, when multiplied together, yield the original expression.

For instance, consider the quadratic expression x² - 5x + 6. By factoring, you can rewrite it as (x - 2)(x - 3). This process is vital in algebra as it simplifies expressions and makes it easier to solve equations, particularly when finding roots or solving polynomial equations.

The other options represent different processes related to manipulating algebraic expressions. Expanding involves converting a product into a sum, simplifying refers to reducing an expression to its simplest form, and evaluating means substituting values for variables and calculating the resulting numerical value. However, none of these describe the act of rewriting an expression specifically as a product of its factors. Thus, factoring is the precise term that defines this process.