Simplify (x-12)(x+12)

$(x - 12) (x + 12)$

Step 1

Expand $(x - 12) (x + 12)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x (x + 12) - 12 (x + 12)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 12 - 12 (x + 12)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 12 - 12 x - 12 \cdot 12$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $x \cdot x + x \cdot 12 - 12 x - 12 \cdot 12$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $x \cdot 12$ and $- 12 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 12 x - 12 x - 12 \cdot 12$

Subtract $12 x$ from $12 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 0 - 12 \cdot 12$

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

$x \cdot x - 12 \cdot 12$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

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

Multiply $- 12$ by $12$ .

$x^{2} - 144$