Solve the following problem:
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Solve the following problem:
Solve the following equation. First, we'll simplify the algebraic expressions by using the abbreviated multiplication formula for difference of squares:
We will then apply the mentioned rule and open the parentheses in the expression in the equation:
In the final stage, we distributed the exponent over the parentheses to both multiplication terms inside the parentheses, according to the laws of exponents:
Let's continue and combine like terms, by moving terms:
Next - we can observe that the equation is of the second degree and that the coefficient of the first-degree term is 0. Hence we'll try to solve it using repeated use (in reverse) of the abbreviated multiplication formula for the difference of squares mentioned earlier:
From here remember that the product of expressions will yield 0 only if at least one of the multiplying expressions equals zero,
Therefore we obtain two simple equations and we'll proceed to solve them by isolating the unknown in each:
or:
Let's summarize the solution to the equation:
Therefore the correct answer is answer B.
\( (3+20)\times(12+4)= \)
Look for the pattern where you have the same terms but opposite signs in the middle. In , notice that 2x appears in both and the signs of 3 are opposite.
This is a quadratic equation in disguise! When you expand and simplify, you get . Quadratic equations typically have two solutions because a parabola can cross the x-axis at two points.
If , then at least one factor must equal zero. This is because the only way to multiply two numbers and get 0 is if one (or both) of them is 0.
Yes! You could use the quadratic formula on , but factoring using difference of squares is much faster and cleaner for this type of problem.
Substitute each value back into the original equation:
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