1. **State the problem:** Factor the expression $x^2$. 2. **Recall the factoring rules:** - Factoring means expressing a polynomial as a product of simpler polynomials or terms. - The expression $x^2$ is a perfect square of $x$. 3. **Apply the factoring:** - $x^2$ can be written as $x \times x$. 4. **Final factored form:** $$x^2 = x \cdot x$$ This is the simplest factorization since $x^2$ is already a product of two identical factors $x$.