Solution - Factoring binomials using the difference of squares

Step by step solution :

Step  1  :

Equation at the end of step  1  :

  72x2 -  16  = 0 

Step  2  :

Trying to factor as a Difference of Squares :

 2.1      Factoring:  49x²-16 

Theory : A difference of two perfect squares,  A² - B²  can be factored into  (A+B) • (A-B)

Proof :  (A+B) • (A-B) =
         A² - AB + BA - B² =
         A² - AB + AB - B² =
         A² - B²

Note :  AB = BA is the commutative property of multiplication.

Note :  - AB + AB equals zero and is therefore eliminated from the expression.

Check :  49  is the square of  7 
Check : 16 is the square of 4
Check :  x²  is the square of  x¹ 

Factorization is :       (7x + 4)  •  (7x - 4) 

Equation at the end of step  2  :

  (7x + 4) • (7x - 4)  = 0 

Step  3  :

Theory - Roots of a product :

 3.1    A product of several terms equals zero. 

 When a product of two or more terms equals zero, then at least one of the terms must be zero. 

 We shall now solve each term = 0 separately 

 In other words, we are going to solve as many equations as there are terms in the product 

 Any solution of term = 0 solves product = 0 as well.

Solving a Single Variable Equation :

 3.2      Solve  :    7x+4 = 0 

 Subtract  4  from both sides of the equation : 
                      7x = -4
Divide both sides of the equation by 7:
                     x = -4/7 = -0.571

Solving a Single Variable Equation :

 3.3      Solve  :    7x-4 = 0 

 Add  4  to both sides of the equation : 
                      7x = 4
Divide both sides of the equation by 7:
                     x = 4/7 = 0.571

Two solutions were found :

1.  x = 4/7 = 0.571
   
2.  x = -4/7 = -0.571