Question

Which polynomial is equivalent to (x+2)^2?

Answer 1

Answer:
`x^2+4x+4`

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Work Shown:

`y = (x+2)^2\\\\y = (x+2)(x+2)\\\\y = w(x+2) \ \ \text{ ... Let w = x+2}\\\\y = wx+2w \ \ \text{ ... Distribute}\\\\y = x(x+2)+2(x+2) \ \ \text{ ... Plug in w = x+2}\\\\y = x^2+2x+2x+4 \ \ \text{ ... Distribute twice more}\\\\y = x^2+4x+4 \ \ \text{ ... Combine like terms}\\\\`

The words written off to the side are optional, and are there to help explain each step. Your teacher probably only cares about the left hand side more than anything. Though I would ask him/her for clarification.

The FOIL rule is another route you could take, or you could use the box method.