Factoring Difference of Squares and Perfect Square Trinomials

The difference of squares formula states that $$a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b)$$ .

A perfect square trinomial is an expression of the form $$a^2 + 2ab + b^2$$ or $$a^2 - 2ab + b^2$$ , which factors to $$(a + b)^2$$ or $$(a - b)^2$$ respectively.

$$(x + 4)(x - 4)$$ .

$$(5x + 9)(5x - 9)$$ .

$$(x + 3)(x - 3)$$ .

Identify the two perfect squares in the expression and apply the difference of squares formula.

$$(5x + 6)^2$$ .

It means that the expression cannot be expressed as a product of two binomials or simpler polynomials.

$$(x - 2)^2$$ .

The general form of a quadratic equation is $$ax^2 + bx + c = 0$$ .