Answer:
7.
Explanation:
To solve the equation a^2 - 49 by factoring, we can use the difference of squares formula. The difference of squares formula states that a^2 - b^2 can be factored as (a + b)(a - b).
In this case, a^2 - 49 can be rewritten as (a + 7)(a - 7).
By setting each factor equal to zero, we can solve for a:
a + 7 = 0
a = -7
a - 7 = 0
a = 7
Therefore, the solutions to the equation a^2 - 49 = 0 are a = -7 and a = 7.