What is the difference between squaring x1 and x1?

1 Answer
Dec 22, 2016

(x1)2=x1

(x1)2=x2x+1

Explanation:

Notice that x1 is a single term, whereas x1 has two terms. When we square x1, then, we need to use the distributive property when multiplying, unlike when squaring x1.


(x1)2=x1x1=x1


(x1)2=(x1)(x1)

=xx+x(1)+(1)x+(1)(1)

=x2x+1