document.write( "Question 881206: Just a homework question I've spent an hour on already without any clue how to answer. I tried the foil but I must be doing something wrong.
\n" ); document.write( " (a-b)(a^2+ab+b^2) \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #532047 by KMST(5328) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
When you multiply factors with 2 or more terms, you end up making all the possible combinations of one term from one factor and another term from the other factor.
\n" ); document.write( "It is like picking shorts and shirts for an outfit.
\n" ); document.write( "(Black+Gray+Red) shorts, times (yellow+white+pink) shirts make
\n" ); document.write( "(B+G+R)(y+w+p)=By+Bw+Bp+Gy+Gw+Gp+Ry+Rw+Rp
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\n" ); document.write( "You can only FOIL when each factor has 2 terms, because then you can make

combinations so we need a 6-letter acronym, like FOIL@#.
\n" ); document.write( "No one has thought of cute names to call the products of the middle term of the 3-term factor (in this case $\"ab\"$ ) times the first ( $\"a\"$ ) and last ( $\"b\"$ ) terms of a 2-term factor.
\n" ); document.write( "No one has thought of letter names for the 9 products formed when both factors have 3 terms.
\n" ); document.write( "Maybe it is lucky that we do not have to memorize more recipes to be applied without thinking or understanding. \n" ); document.write( "

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