Rewriting by Structure
Aligned to A-SSE.A.2 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.
What this lesson teaches
Recognizing a pattern lets you rewrite an expression quickly. A difference of squares a^2 − b^2 always factors as (a + b)(a − b).
Worked example
Factor x^2 − 49. Since 49 = 7^2, this is a difference of squares: x^2 − 7^2 = (x + 7)(x − 7).
Practice questions
- Factor x^2 − 25.
- Factor 9x^2 − 16.
- Rewrite x^4 − 1 as a product of factors.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Reescribir por Estructura
Reconocer un patrón te permite reescribir una expresión rápidamente. Una diferencia de cuadrados a^2 − b^2 siempre se factoriza como (a + b)(a − b).
Ejemplo: Factoriza x^2 − 49. Como 49 = 7^2, esto es una diferencia de cuadrados: x^2 − 7^2 = (x + 7)(x − 7).
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