document.write( "Question 218853: ( a 1^2 + b 1^2 ) ( a 1^2 - b 1^2 )\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1^2 is one and a half exponent.:D \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #164808 by jsmallt9(3758) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
There are easy and a not-so-easy ways to solve this. But either way we do this we have to understand enough about exponents to know that $\"x%5E%281%2F2%29%2Ax%5E%281%2F2%29+=+%28x%5E%281%2F2%29%29%5E2+=+x\"$

\n" ); document.write( "The easy way is found by recognizing that
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28+a%5E%281%2F2%29+%2B+b%5E%28+1%2F2+%29%29%28+a%5E%28+1%2F2%29+-+b%5E%28+1%2F2+%29%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "fits the pattern:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"p%2Bq%29%28p-q%29+=+p%5E2+-+q%5E2\"$ with $\"p+=+a%5E%281%2F2%29\"$ and $\"q+=+b%5E%281%2F2%29\"$ . So
\n" ); document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "The harder way is to multiply $\"%28+a%5E%281%2F2%29+%2B+b%5E%28+1%2F2+%29%29%28+a%5E%28+1%2F2%29+-+b%5E%28+1%2F2%29%29\"$ . Multiplying expressions like this is done using something that is often called FOIL (First, Outside, Inside, Last):
\n" ); document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "

\n" );