Question

What is the completely factored form of this polynomial?

a) \((x + 2)(x - 2)\)
b) \((x + 2)²(x - 2)²\)
c) \((x² - 4)²\)
d) \((x² + 4)(x + 2)(x - 2)\)

Answer 1

The completely factored form of the polynomial is (x + 2)(x - 2), so the correct answer is a) (x + 2)(x - 2).

Step-by-step explanation:

The completely factored form of the polynomial is (x + 2)(x - 2), so the correct answer is a) (x + 2)(x - 2). Let's break it down step by step:

1. Expand the polynomial to get x^2 - 4.
2. Recognize that the resulting expression is a difference of squares, which can be factored as (x + 2)(x - 2).