Final answer:
The cube difference formula states that a³ - b³ can be factored as (a - b)(a² + ab + b²) and the sides i, ii, and iii represent the three terms of the factored expression. The volume of each of the three solids can be expressed as (a - b), (a²), and (b²).
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to understand why a³ - b³ is equal to the sum of the volumes of the sides i, ii, and iii, we need to understand the cube difference formula. The cube difference formula states that a³ - b³ can be factored as (a - b)(a² + ab + b²). In this case, the sides i, ii, and iii represent the three terms of the factored expression: a - b, a², and b².
The algebraic expressions for the volume of each of the three solids can be determined as follows:
The volume of side i is (a - b).
The volume of side ii is (a²).
The volume of side iii is (b²).
Therefore, the factoring pattern for a³ - b³ is (a - b)(a² + ab + b²).