Given,

x² – 17x + 16

Now, first we have to find out the numbers whose-

Sum = - 17 and

Product = 16

The numbers are 16 and 1,

So,

x² – 17x + 16 = x² – 16x – 1x + 16

= x(x – 16) – 1(x – 16)

= (x – 16)(x – 1)