Factor 4x^2 - 49

Step by step

The question

Question: factor 4x² − 49.

Factor means: write it as a times, with brackets.

1 Two squares

This is one square take away another square.

4x² is 2x squared.

49 is 7 squared.

A square minus a square is the plus bracket times the minus bracket.

So we get (2x + 7)(2x − 7).

2 Check

Let's check: we multiply it back out.

Each part of the first bracket times each part of the second.

We get 4x² − 49 again.

So (2x + 7)(2x − 7) is right!

Let's look back.

First: two squares.

Last: check.