Question

Is this a trick question?

Simplify:

(7x-9)(7x+9)

Answer 1

It already looks simplified.

Answer 2

combine like terms

Answer 3

Yes, but that takes it from factored form into a more complex form, and defeats the purpose of simplifying, right?

Answer 4

49x^2 - 81

Answer 5

My teacher is evil, so I have to check stuff like this that should be simple...

Answer 6

what grade are you in?

Answer 7

It's college algebra. My teacher is head of the Math Department for the college, so he throws trick questions at us very often.

Answer 8

I hate algebra

Answer 9

The full instructions are: Simplify Completely

From my other problems, I got the long form of problems and had to convert them into factored form. This is a factored form already, so it seems like a trick to get me to write out the long form.

Answer 10

I would just keep it

Answer 11

how simplify could it be (\[(7x) ^{2}-9^{2}\]