Question

Factor the following

Answer 1

(x - 4)(x + 4)

Explanation:

x^2 - 16

Difference of two squares

x^2 - 4^2

(x - 4)(x + 4)

Check

x x x +x x 4 -4 x x -4 x 4

x^2 + 4x - 4x - 16

x^2 - 16

Answer 2

(x - 4)×(x + 4)

Explanation:

(x - 4)×(x + 4) = x^2 - 16

First we need to multiply inside the parenthesis one by one

Multiply x with (x + 4) and the result will be x^2 + 4x

Then multiply -4 with (x + 4) and result will be -4x - 16 we then add both of the result together by adding like terms

x^2 + 4x - 4x - 16 = x^2 - 16 (-4x eliminated 4x) therefore the answer to factorised form of x^2 - 16 is (x - 4)×(x + 4)