Simplify (3x-4)^2

${(3 x - 4)}^{2}$

Step 1

Rewrite ${(3 x - 4)}^{2}$ as $(3 x - 4) (3 x - 4)$ .

$(3 x - 4) (3 x - 4)$

Step 2

Expand $(3 x - 4) (3 x - 4)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$3 x (3 x - 4) - 4 (3 x - 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$3 x (3 x) + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x - 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$3 x (3 x) + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Step 3

Simplify and combine like terms.

Simplify each term.

Rewrite using the commutative property of multiplication.

$3 \cdot 3 x \cdot x + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $x$ by $x$ by adding the exponents.

Move $x$ .

$3 \cdot 3 (x \cdot x) + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$3 \cdot 3 x^{2} + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $3$ by $3$ .

$9 x^{2} + 3 x \cdot - 4 - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $- 4$ by $3$ .

$9 x^{2} - 12 x - 4 (3 x) - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $3$ by $- 4$ .

$9 x^{2} - 12 x - 12 x - 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $- 4$ by $- 4$ .

$9 x^{2} - 12 x - 12 x + 16$

Subtract $12 x$ from $- 12 x$ .

$9 x^{2} - 24 x + 16$