Solution - Factoring binomials using the difference of squares

Step by step solution :

Step  1  :

Equation at the end of step  1  :

  32m2 -  1  = 0 

Step  2  :

Trying to factor as a Difference of Squares :

 2.1      Factoring:  9m²-1 

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 :  9  is the square of  3 
Check : 1 is the square of 1
Check :  m²  is the square of  m¹ 

Factorization is :       (3m + 1)  •  (3m - 1) 

Equation at the end of step  2  :

  (3m + 1) • (3m - 1)  = 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  :    3m+1 = 0 

 Subtract  1  from both sides of the equation : 
                      3m = -1
Divide both sides of the equation by 3:
                     m = -1/3 = -0.333

Solving a Single Variable Equation :

 3.3      Solve  :    3m-1 = 0 

 Add  1  to both sides of the equation : 
                      3m = 1
Divide both sides of the equation by 3:
                     m = 1/3 = 0.333

Two solutions were found :

1.  m = 1/3 = 0.333
   
2.  m = -1/3 = -0.333