Simplify (x^2+1)^2

${(x^{2} + 1)}^{2}$

Step 1

Rewrite ${(x^{2} + 1)}^{2}$ as $(x^{2} + 1) (x^{2} + 1)$ .

$(x^{2} + 1) (x^{2} + 1)$

Step 2

Expand $(x^{2} + 1) (x^{2} + 1)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x^{2} (x^{2} + 1) + 1 (x^{2} + 1)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x^{2} x^{2} + x^{2} \cdot 1 + 1 (x^{2} + 1)$

Apply the distributive property.

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

Step 3

Simplify and combine like terms.

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x^{2}$ by $x^{2}$ by adding the exponents.

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

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

Add $2$ and $2$ .

$x^{4} + x^{2} \cdot 1 + 1 x^{2} + 1 \cdot 1$

Multiply $x^{2}$ by $1$ .

$x^{4} + x^{2} + 1 x^{2} + 1 \cdot 1$

Multiply $x^{2}$ by $1$ .

$x^{4} + x^{2} + x^{2} + 1 \cdot 1$

Multiply $1$ by $1$ .

$x^{4} + x^{2} + x^{2} + 1$

Add $x^{2}$ and $x^{2}$ .

$x^{4} + 2 x^{2} + 1$