Simplify (y+4)(y-4)

$(y + 4) (y - 4)$

Step 1

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

Apply the distributive property.

$y (y - 4) + 4 (y - 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

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

Apply the distributive property.

$y \cdot y + y \cdot - 4 + 4 y + 4 \cdot - 4$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

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

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

$y \cdot y - 4 y + 4 y + 4 \cdot - 4$

Add $- 4 y$ and $4 y$ .

$y \cdot y + 0 + 4 \cdot - 4$

Add $y \cdot y$ and $0$ .

$y \cdot y + 4 \cdot - 4$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $y$ by $y$ .

$y^{2} + 4 \cdot - 4$

Multiply $4$ by $- 4$ .

$y^{2} - 16$