That is, when we encounter two numbers with a minus sign between them, that is, the difference and they will be in parentheses and raised as a squared expression, we can use this formula.
Pay attention - The formula also works in non-algebraic expressions or combinations with numbers and unknowns.
Let's look at an example
(Xβ7)2= Here we identify two elements between which there is a minus sign and they are enclosed in parentheses and raised to the square as a single expression. Therefore, we can use the formula for the difference of squares. We will work according to the formula and pay attention to the minus and plus signs. We will obtain:Β (Xβ7)2=x2β14x+49 Indeed, we pronounce the same expression differently using the formula.
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Examples and exercises with solutions of the difference of squares formula
Exercise #1
Choose the expression that has the same value as the following:
(xβy)2
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
We use the abbreviated multiplication formula:
(xβy)(xβy)=
x2βxyβyx+y2=
x2β2xy+y2
Answer
x2β2xy+y2
Exercise #2
(xβ2)2+(xβ3)2=
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
To solve the question, we need to know one of the shortcut multiplication formulas:
(xβy)2=x2β2xy+y2
Now, we apply this property twice:
(xβ2)2=x2β4x+4
(xβ3)2=x2β6x+9
Now we add:
x2β4x+4+x2β6x+9=
2x2β10x+13
Answer
2x2β10x+13
Exercise #3
60β16y+y2=β4
Video Solution
Step-by-Step Solution
Let's solve the given equation:
60β16y+y2=β4First, let's arrange the equation by moving terms:
60β16y+y2=β460β16y+y2+4=0y2β16y+64=0Now, let's note that we can break down the expression on the left side using the short quadratic factoring formula:
(aβb)2=a2β2ab+b2This is done using the fact that:
64=82So let's present the outer term on the right as a square:
y2β16y+64=0βy2β16y+82=0Now let's examine again the short factoring formula we mentioned earlier:
(aβb)2=a2β2abβ+b2And the expression on the left side of the equation we got in the last step:
y2β16yβ+82=0Let's note that the terms y2,82indeed match the form of the first and third terms in the short multiplication formula (which are highlighted in red and blue),
But in order for us to break down the relevant expression (which is on the left side of the equation) using the short formula we mentioned, the match to the short formula must also apply to the remaining term, meaning the middle term in the expression (underlined):
(aβb)2=a2β2abβ+b2In other words - we'll ask if it's possible to present the expression on the left side of the equation as:
y2β16yβ+82=0β?y2β2β yβ 8β+82=0And indeed it holds that:
2β yβ 8=16ySo we can present the expression on the left side of the given equation as a difference of two squares:
y2β2β yβ 8+82=0β(yβ8)2=0From here we can take out square roots for the two sides of the equation (remember that there are two possibilities - positive and negative when taking out square roots), we'll solve it easily by isolating the variable on one side:
(yβ8)2=0/βyβ8=Β±0yβ8=0y=8β
Let's summarize then the solution of the equation: