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 $- 4 y$ .

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

Subtract $4 y$ from $4 y$ .

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

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 $4$ .

$y^{2} - 16$