Simplify (x-1)(x+1)

$(x - 1) (x + 1)$

Step 1

Expand $(x - 1) (x + 1)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x (x + 1) - 1 (x + 1)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 1 - 1 (x + 1)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 1 - 1 x - 1 \cdot 1$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $x \cdot x + x \cdot 1 - 1 x - 1 \cdot 1$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $x \cdot 1$ and $- 1 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 1 x - 1 x - 1 \cdot 1$

Subtract $1 x$ from $1 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 0 - 1 \cdot 1$

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

$x \cdot x - 1 \cdot 1$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$x^{2} - 1 \cdot 1$

Multiply $- 1$ by $1$ .

$x^{2} - 1$