Question

Factor the polynomial x^2 - 16

Answer 1

Answer :(x+4)(x-4) ,when factored out, is x^2-4x+4x-16.

combine like terms and the -4x and 4x cancel leaving you your original problem x^2-16.

Answer 2

Here's the way I like to think through these factoring problems involving the difference of two squares. First, make sure dealing with a perfect square minus a perfect square. In this case we are.

So this binomial will factor as the product of two binomials.

The first binomial will have a + in the middle and the second binomial will have a - in the middle. In the first position, we will have the factors of x² that are the same so x time x. In the second position will be the factors of 16 that are the same, 12 times 12.

(x + 4)(x - 4) is your answer, a factored version of x² - 16.