How do you multiply (x-4y)^2?

1 Answer
Jan 16, 2017

See entire solution process below:

Explanation:

First, we convert this expression to:

(x - 4y)^2 = (x - 4y)(x - 4y)

Now, to multiply these two terms you multiply each individual term in the left parenthesis by each individual term in the right parenthesis.

(color(red)(x) - color(red)(4y))(color(blue)(x) - color(blue)(4y)) becomes:

(color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(x)) - (color(red)(x) xx color(blue)(4y)) - (color(red)(4y) xx color(blue)(x)) + (color(red)(4y) xx color(blue)(4y))

x^2 - 4xy - 4xy + 16y^2

We can now combine like terms:

x^2 + (-4 - 4)xy + 16y^2

x^2 - 8xy + 16y^2