SOLUTION: Today was my first day of intermediate algebra. Our first assignment is factoring polynomials. I am lost and my professor didn't explain much. {{{10a^2-640}}}? :) Please help.

Question 202331: Today was my first day of intermediate algebra. Our first assignment is factoring polynomials. I am lost and my professor didn't explain much. ? :) Please help.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Factor:
Notice that each term is a multiple of 10, so you can first factor 10.
Now the binomial (in the parentheses) is the difference of two squares. and the difference of two squares can be factored thus:
, so apply this concept to the binomial to complete the factoring of the given expression.

To check the solution, you need only multiply the three factors to see that you will arrive at the given expression.
which simplifies to:

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