document.write( "Question 192325: explain why a^2 + b^2 cannot be a factored \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #144420 by solver91311(24713) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I can't do that. Nobody can. That's because, in general,

can be factored -- just not over the real numbers. That is to say, real number expressions p and q do not exist such that

. However, if you consider the complex numbers of the form

where

is defined as

, then

factors quite nicely to

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