To factor the expression \(5w^3 - 320w\) completely, first identify the greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms. Then, factor out the GCF and look for any further factorization possibilities within the resulting expression.
Step 1: Identify the Expression
We start with the expression \(5w^3 - 320w\).
Step 2: Factor Out the Greatest Common Factor
The greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms \(5w^3\) and \(-320w\) is \(5w\). We factor this out:
\[
5w^3 - 320w = 5w(w^2 - 64)
\]
Step 3: Further Factor the Quadratic Expression
The expression \(w^2 - 64\) is a difference of squares, which can be factored as:
\[
w^2 - 64 = (w - 8)(w + 8)
\]
Thus, we can rewrite the expression as:
\[
5w(w - 8)(w + 8)
\]
Final Answer
The completely factored form of the expression \(5w^3 - 320w\) is:
\[
\boxed{5w(w - 8)(w + 8)}
\]