Find the two products below. Compare and contrast, in complete sentences, the similarities and differences of the two.

(x + 4)(x − 4) and (x + 4)(x + 4)

Question

Find the two products below. Compare and contrast, in complete sentences, the similarities and differences of the two.

(x + 4)(x − 4) and (x + 4)(x + 4)

anonymous · Answer

@Mertsj 
@jim_thompson5910

anonymous · Answer

@DollyAcquah

anonymous · Answer

Someone, help!

mertsj · Answer

The two factors are the same so the answer to the two problems will be the same.
That is because multiplication is a commutative operation which means that the order of the factors does not matter.  The answer will be the same.

anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much! @Mertsj

mertsj · Answer

yw

nikato · Answer

Wait, no.

For (x+4)(x-4)= x^2 -16

(x+4)(x+4)= x^2 + 8x +16

They are two different answers

They both have x^2
However the first is -16 but the second has +8x+16

nikato · Answer

The first one also doesn't have "a middle term"

mertsj · Answer

Oh gee.  I didn't see that plus sign.  thought it was a minus sign.

mertsj · Answer

The first one is the product of two binomials whose outer and inner products are opposites.  Therefore the result is a binomial.  The second one is the product of two identical factors and the result is a trinomial square.