Simplify (x-7)(x+7)

$(x - 7) (x + 7)$

Step 1

Expand $(x - 7) (x + 7)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x (x + 7) - 7 (x + 7)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 7 - 7 (x + 7)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 7 - 7 x - 7 \cdot 7$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $x \cdot x + x \cdot 7 - 7 x - 7 \cdot 7$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $x \cdot 7$ and $- 7 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 7 x - 7 x - 7 \cdot 7$

Subtract $7 x$ from $7 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 0 - 7 \cdot 7$

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

$x \cdot x - 7 \cdot 7$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$x^{2} - 7 \cdot 7$

Multiply $- 7$ by $7$ .

$x^{2} - 49$