document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=126345>Question 126345</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How would you factor the expression 4a^2-36b^2? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #92550 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=92550\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The given expression falls under the following factoring rule:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=X%5E2+-+Y%5E2+=+%28X+-+Y%29%2A%28X+%2B+Y%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"X%5E2+-+Y%5E2+=+%28X+-+Y%29%2A%28X+%2B+Y%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In the given expression note that X = 2a because when you square both sides you get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=X%5E2+=+4a%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"X%5E2+=+4a%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Also note that Y = 6b because when you square both sides you get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=Y%5E2+=+36b%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"Y%5E2+=+36b%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Substituting 2a for X and 6b for Y in the factoring rule leads to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+%282a+-+6b%29%2A%282a+%2B+6b%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+%282a+-+6b%29%2A%282a+%2B+6b%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then notice on the right side that each of the two factors has 2 as a common factor of the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "two terms in parentheses. This means that each factor on the right side can have a 2 factored<BR>\n" );
document.write( "from it, and this leads to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+2%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A2%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+2%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A2%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Multiply the two factors of 2 to get 4 and you have the final answer of:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+4%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282a%29%5E2+-+%286b%29%5E2+=+4%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If you like, you can then square out the two terms on the left side and you have:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4a%5E2+-+36b%5E2+=+4%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4a%5E2+-+36b%5E2+=+4%2A%28a+-+3b%29%2A%28a+%2B+3b%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps you understand how to do the problem, and how to use the rule that applies.<BR>\n" );
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