Answer:
(x -8)² = x² -16x +64
Explanation:
A lot of math is about pattern recognition. For many of the patterns you are asked to recognize, it is helpful to be very familiar with basic math facts: addition facts, multiplication facts, and the squares and cubes of small integers.
All of algebra is based on a few properties of arithmetic and equality. One that is important here is the distributive property.
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expanding a product of binomials
One of the patterns that is used with quadratics is the square of a binomial.
(a - b)² = a² -2ab +b²
This is the result of applying the distributive property several times.
First of all, the exponent indicates repeated multiplication:
(a -b)² = (a -b)×(a -b)
The distributive property tells you each term outside parentheses multiplies each term inside:
= a×(a -b) -b×(a -b)
= a·a -a·b -b·a +b·b . . . . . and again
Now, we collect terms, recognizing that ab=ba.
= a² -2(a·b) +b² . . . . . . . using exponents for repeated multiplication
So, the pattern for the square of a binomial is ...
(a -b)² = a² -2ab +b²
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using the pattern
For your specific case, ...
(x -8)² = x² -2(x)(8) +8² . . . . . . using the above pattern
(x -8)² = x² -16x +64
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Additional comment
If you want to do this without using the pattern, just make use of the distributive property:
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While the distributive property is the fundamental property involved, some find it helpful to remember a mnemonic that gets you to the same result for the product of binomials: FOIL. The letters refer to First, Outer, Inner, Last, and they remind you of the terms that make up the expansion of the product:
- (x -8)(x -8) -- First: x·x = x²
- (x -8)(x -8) -- Outer: x·(-8) = -8x
- (x -8)(x -8) -- Inner: (-8)·x = -8x
- (x -8)(x -8) -- Last: (-8)(-8) = 64
Then the product is ...
(x -8)² = x² -8x -8x +64 = x² -16x +64
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Of course, the distributive property is involved in what we call "collecting terms."
-8x -8x = (-8-8)x = -16x
The variable is factored out using the distributive property, then the coefficients are added to simplify the expression in parentheses.