Question

Pls help!

If a and b are real numbers, then (a + b)^2 = a^2 + b^2
Provide a counterexample for the statement.
A)
a = 0 and b = 1
B)
a = 1 and b=0
C)
a = 1 and b = 2
D)
a = 0 and b = 0

Answer 1

C ) a= 1 and b = 2

Explanation:

(a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b²

It equals to

• (a + b)² = a² + b²

when ab = 0, in other words one of a or b or both should be zero

Looking through the answer options, only one of them:

• C ) a= 1 and b = 2

is the counterexample of the given statement, since none of a or be equals zero.