Problema Solution
Short Answer. The length of the side of a rectangular desk is given by 2x - 6y cm. The length of the front is given by 2x + 6y cm. What is an algebraic expression for the area of the top of the rectangular desk? Include correct units as part of your answer.
Answer provided by our tutors
To find the area, multiply the length*width
(2x-6y)(2x+6y)
= 4x^2 +12y - 12y - 36y^2
= 4x^2 - 36y^2
Again, notice this is a difference of two squares problem because the binomials are the same, except for the plus/minus sign. Therefore the solution is the first term squared minus the second terms squared.