Question

Simplify the following

(a + b)(a – b)

Answer 1

Explanation:

Okay so what we have to do is expand using the FOIL technique, or First Outer Inner Last.

So:

Our first terms are a and a so multiplied together we get
`a^(2)`

Then we have outer which would be -b times a or -ab

Then we have inner which would be b times a or ab

And then we have our last term which would be b times b or
`-b^(2)`

Now we add all of our terms together to get:

`a^(2) -ab + ab - b^(2) \\`

Which simplifies to

`a^(2) - b^(2)`

Answer 2

a^2-b^2

Explanation:

(a+b)(a-b)=a^2-b^2