Simplify (w-4)(w+4)

$(w - 4) (w + 4)$

Step 1

Expand $(w - 4) (w + 4)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$w (w + 4) - 4 (w + 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$w \cdot w + w \cdot 4 - 4 (w + 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$w \cdot w + w \cdot 4 - 4 w - 4 \cdot 4$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $w \cdot w + w \cdot 4 - 4 w - 4 \cdot 4$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $w \cdot 4$ and $- 4 w$ .

$w \cdot w + 4 w - 4 w - 4 \cdot 4$

Subtract $4 w$ from $4 w$ .

$w \cdot w + 0 - 4 \cdot 4$

Add $w \cdot w$ and $0$ .

$w \cdot w - 4 \cdot 4$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $w$ by $w$ .

$w^{2} - 4 \cdot 4$

Multiply $- 4$ by $4$ .

$w^{2} - 16$