document.write( "Question 252895: Factor: a^6+b^6 \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #185003 by nerdybill(7384) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A special case of factoring is \"sum of cubes\":
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+a%5E3+%2B+b%5E3+=+%28a+%2B+b%29%28a%5E2+-+ab+%2B+b%5E2%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( ".
\n" ); document.write( "Your problem:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"a%5E6%2Bb%5E6\"$
\n" ); document.write( "can be rewritten as:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28a%5E2%29%5E3%2B%28b%5E2%29%5E3\"$
\n" ); document.write( "which is \"sum of cubes\" which we now factor as:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28a%5E2%2Bb%5E2%29%28%28a%5E2%29%5E2-a%5E2b%5E2%2B%28b%5E2%29%5E2%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28a%5E2%2Bb%5E2%29%28a%5E4-a%5E2b%5E2%2Bb%5E4%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );