Question #d8676

2 Answers
Jan 7, 2018

#(9)(47)(49)#

Explanation:

.

#144^2-9=144^2-3^2#

Using:

#a^2-b^2=(a-b)(a+b)#

#144^2-3^2=(144-3)(144+3)=(141)(147)=(3)(47)(3)(49)=(9)(47)(49)#

Jan 7, 2018

#(144 + 3) (144 - 3)#
#color(white)(....)#  #(147)# #(141)#

Explanation:

The expression #144^2 - 9# is a Difference of Two Squares.
It's the same as #144^2 - 3^2#

The factorization of the Difference of Two Squares (by memory):

#color(white)(.....)##a^2 - b^2#

#(a + b)(a - b)#

#color(white)(............)#— — — — — — — — — —

Factor

#color(white)(.)#.#a^2  -  b^2#
#144^2 -  3^2#

#(  a   +   b)(  a   -  b)#
#(144 +   3)(144 -  3)# #larr# answer

#color(white)(............)#— — — — — — — — — —

I wonder if this question was written to be a challenge.
Maybe the textbook is trying to see if you get confused?

Possibly a student might mix up these two problems:

  • #144^2 - 9# (Correctly thinking "144 is being squared")
  • #144^2 - 9# (Incorrectly thinking "144 is a square")

A student who is accidentally solving this:
#color(white)(..)##144^("forgetting the" ^(2)# - #9#
#color(white)(..)##144# - #9#

will get this incorrect answer:
#(12 + 3) ( 12 - 3)#
#(15)(9)#