Final answer:
To find the product (26)(34) using the property (x - y)(1+y) = (x^2 - y^2), let x = 30 and y = 2. The correct statement is option B: The student should let x = 30 and y = 2, then the product (26)(34) is 900 – 8.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the product (26)(34) using the property (x - y)(1+y) = (x^2 - y^2), we need to let x and y represent the numbers in the expression. In this case, x = 30 and y = 2 would be the correct values to use. Substituting these values into the property equation, we have (30 - 2)(1+2) = (30^2 - 2^2), which simplifies to (28)(3) = (900 - 4). The correct statement is option B: The student should let x = 30 and y = 2, then the product (26)(34) is 900 – 8.