Question 986381: How would I factor the following:
a^6-b^6
Answer by Boreal(15235) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Use cubes and squares
this is a difference of cubes
a^3-b^3=(a-b)(a^2+ab+b^2) coupled with a difference in squares as well (a^2-b^2)=(a+b)(a-b). The only difference is the "squares" are a^3-b^3, and each one of those terms is factorable.
Therefore, split this into a difference of squares problem, then factor each of those terms.
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This is (a^3+b^3)(a^3-b^3)
That is {(a+b)(a^2-ab+b^2)}X (a-b)(a^2+ab+b^2)}
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