Factoring - Difference of Squares

What is a Perfect Square

What numbers are Perfect

Squares?
Squares

1 1
2

2 4
2
3 9
2
4 16
2
5 25
2
6 36
2

Perfect Squares
1
4
9
16
25
36
49
64
81
100

10

Factoring: Difference of Squares

Count the number of terms. Is it a
binomial?
Is the first term a perfect square?
Is the last term a perfect square?
Is it, or could it be, a subtraction of two
perfect squares?
x2 9 = (x + 3)(x 3)
The sum of squares will not factor a2+b2

Using FOIL we find the product

of two binomials.

( x 5)( x 5)
x 5 x 5 x 25
2
x 25
2

Rewrite the polynomial as the

product of a sum and a difference.

x 25 ( x 5)( x 5)
2

Conditions for
Difference of Squares

x 36
2

Must be a binomial with subtraction.

First term must be a perfect square.
(x)(x) = x2
Second term must be a perfect
square (6)(6) = 36

x 6 x 6

Check for GCF.

Sometimes it is necessary to remove the GCF
before it can be factored more completely.

5 x 45 y
2

5 x 9y
2

5 x 3 y x 3 y

Removing a GCF of -1.

In some cases removing a GCF of negative one
will result in the difference of squares.

x 16
2

1 x 16
2

1 x 4 x 4

Difference of Squares

4 x 25 2 x 5 2 x 5
2

4 Try
2 x 8 2 x You
2 x 2 x 2
2
2
b 100 1 b 100
2

1st. not a perfect square.

No GCF. PRIME!

y 16 y 4 y 4
2

Factoring - Difference of Squares