# Difference of Two Square Issue

• July 8th 2012, 12:41 PM
justasiam
Difference of Two Square Issue
I am doing online homework at CourseCompass.com and got a problem that I cannot figure out. Maybe somebody here can help me?

Use the difference of two squares formula to factor the polynomial.

49 - (x+7)²

I got as far as [7 + (x+7)] [ 7 - (x+7)] but I do not know what to do from here.

The site says the answer is -x(x+14) but I have no idea how they came to that. Ideas?
• July 8th 2012, 12:46 PM
Plato
Re: Difference of Two Square Issue
Quote:

Originally Posted by justasiam
I am doing online homework at CourseCompass.com and got a problem that I cannot figure out. Maybe somebody here can help me?
49 - (x+7)²
I got as far as [7 + (x+7)] [ 7 - (x+7)] but I do not know what to do from here.
The site says the answer is -x(x+14) but I have no idea how they came to that. Ideas?

$[7 + (x+7)] [ 7 - (x+7)]$ correct!
Now remove parenthesis and combine terms.
• July 8th 2012, 12:53 PM
Furyan
Re: Difference of Two Square Issue
Quote:

Originally Posted by justasiam
I am doing online homework at CourseCompass.com and got a problem that I cannot figure out. Maybe somebody here can help me?

Use the difference of two squares formula to factor the polynomial.

49 - (x+7)²

I got as far as [7 + (x+7)] [ 7 - (x+7)] but I do not know what to do from here.

The site says the answer is -x(x+14) but I have no idea how they came to that. Ideas?

Just keep going.

(7+x+7)(7-x-7)....
• July 8th 2012, 01:10 PM
justasiam
Re: Difference of Two Square Issue
D'oh!! Combine Like Terms. The 2nd () has the 7s canceling out, therefore I have (x + 14) (-x).

Thanks guys