Question

How do you simplify `(x + 7)(x - 7)`?

Answer 1

`x^2 -49`

Explanation:

There are 2 binomials to be multiplied. This can be done by usual distributive method :

`(x+7)(x-7)`

=`x^2 -7x + 7x - 49" which will now simplify"`

OR we should be able to instantly recognise that these are the factors which would be obtained by factoring the difference of two squares/ (The brackets are the same except for the signs)

Either method will lead to the result of
`x^2 -49`