document.write( "Question 551361: Factor completely\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "a^2-2ab+b^2-4 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #359683 by Edwin McCravy(20056)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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document.write( "Factor the first three terms and keep bringing the -4 down\r\n" );
document.write( "to the next line:\r\n" );
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document.write( "a²-2ab+b² - 4\r\n" );
document.write( "                 Factor the a²-2ab+b² first as (a-b)(a-b) \r\n" );
document.write( "                 and then shorten that to (a-b)² and bring down the - 4\r\n" );
document.write( "                 to the next line, like this:\r\n" );
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document.write( "(a-b)² - 4\r\n" );
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document.write( "                 Now we recognize 4 as the square, 2², so we write 4 as 2²\r\n" );
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document.write( "(a-b)² - 2²\r\n" );
document.write( "                 Now we recognize that as the difference of two squares\r\n" );
document.write( "                 And we factor it this way using brackets to hold the\r\n" );
document.write( "                 parentheses.  It's just like factoring x²-4 as (x-2)(x+2)\r\n" );
document.write( "                 except you have a parentheses instead of x, and brackets\r\n" );
document.write( "                 instead of parentheses:\r\n" );
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document.write( "[(a-b) - 2][(a-b) + 2]\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then you take out the parenthese inside \r\n" );
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document.write( "[a - b - 2][a- b + 2]\r\n" );
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document.write( "and finally change the brackets to\r\n" );
document.write( "parentheses:\r\n" );
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document.write( "(a - b - 2)(a - b + 2)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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