Title. I couldn't figure out how to factor a^2 - 2ab + b^2, so I looked up the answer, and it said a^2 - ab - ab + b^2 = a(a - b) - b(a - b). I can't understand why.
#Why does a^2 - ab - ab + b^2 = a(a - b) - b(a - b)? shouldn't it be a(a - b) + b(-a + b) instead?
stone grail
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stone grail
I guess they're both the same, but I don't get how he thought of that.
half patrol
$a^{2}-2ab+b^{2} \text{ is } (a-b)^{2}$
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TheLord26
half patrol
In what you are talking about you have to focus on the a^2-ab and -ab+b^2 separately
And factoring an ‘a’ from the first one and a ‘b’ from the second gets a(a-b) and b(-a+b) -> -b(a-b)
stone grail
How did he figure out b(-a + b) = -b(a - b)?
He just randomly noticed you can multiply both sides by -1?
half patrol
How did he figure out b(-a + b) = -b(a - b)?
You can factor -1 from -a+b
-(a-b) == -a+b
stone grail
Okay. That makes enough sense, I just hope I can think of it during tests.
half patrol
**TheLord26**
Just use this if you are trying to simplify
stone grail
Alright. Thanks for the help.
half patrol
Np
severe crownBOT
Solved
stone grail
Yeah