How do you find the product of #(a-4)^2#?

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Answer 1 · 2018-04-12T01:11:00

See a solution process below:

Use this rule for this special case of quadratics:

#(color(red)(x) - color(blue)(y))(color(red)(x) - color(blue)(y)) = color(red)(x)^2 - 2color(red)(x)color(blue)(y) + color(blue)(y)^2#

Let:

#color(red)(a)# replace #color(red)(x)#

#color(blue)(4)# replace #color(blue)(y)#

#(color(red)(a) - color(blue)(4))^2 =>#

#(color(red)(a) - color(blue)(4))(color(red)(a) - color(blue)(4)) =>#

#color(red)(a)^2 - (2 * color(red)(a) * color(blue)(4)) + color(blue)(4)^2 =>#

#a^2 - 8a + 16#