Answer:
the value of a - b is 4.
Explanation:
We have been given the following two equations:
a + b = 10 ------------(1)
a² - b² = 40 -------(2)
We can factor the left-hand side of equation (2) using the difference of squares identity:
(a + b)(a - b) = 40
Substituting equation (1) into this equation, we get:
10(a - b) = 40
Dividing both sides by 10, we get:
a - b = 4
Therefore, the value of a - b is 4.