Evaluate (x+2)(x-2)

$(x + 2) (x - 2)$

Step 1

Expand $(x + 2) (x - 2)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x (x - 2) + 2 (x - 2)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot - 2 + 2 (x - 2)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot - 2 + 2 x + 2 \cdot - 2$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $x \cdot x + x \cdot - 2 + 2 x + 2 \cdot - 2$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $x \cdot - 2$ and $2 x$ .

$x \cdot x - 2 x + 2 x + 2 \cdot - 2$

Add $- 2 x$ and $2 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 0 + 2 \cdot - 2$

Add $x \cdot x$ and $0$ .

$x \cdot x + 2 \cdot - 2$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$x^{2} + 2 \cdot - 2$

Multiply $2$ by $- 2$ .

$x^{2} - 4$