To factor out the greatest common factor (GCF) from the expression \( -10x^5 - 15x^3 + 20x^2 \), we first determine the GCF of the coefficients and the variable parts.
- Coefficients: The coefficients are -10, -15, and 20. The GCF of these numbers is 5.
- Variable part: The variable with the smallest exponent is \(x^2\) (from \(20x^2\)). Therefore, the GCF for the variable part is \(x^2\).
Combining these two, the GCF of the entire expression is \(5x^2\).
Next, we factor out \(5x^2\) from each term:
\[ -10x^5 ÷ 5x^2 = -2x^3 \]
\[ -15x^3 ÷ 5x^2 = -3x \]
\[ 20x^2 ÷ 5x^2 = 4 \]
Putting these factored results together, we have:
\[ -10x^5 - 15x^3 + 20x^2 = 5x^2(-2x^3 - 3x + 4) \]
Now looking at the answer choices provided, the correct answer is:
Option: \(5x^2(-2x^3 - 3x + 4)\)