Algebra Examples

$a^{20} - a^{16} + a^{12} - a^{8} + a^{4} - a^{2}$

Step 1

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{20} - a^{16} + a^{12} - a^{8} + a^{4} - a^{2}$ .

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Step 1.1

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{20}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} - a^{16} + a^{12} - a^{8} + a^{4} - a^{2}$

Step 1.2

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $- a^{16}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14}) + a^{12} - a^{8} + a^{4} - a^{2}$

Step 1.3

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{12}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10} - a^{8} + a^{4} - a^{2}$

Step 1.4

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $- a^{8}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10} + a^{2} (- a^{6}) + a^{4} - a^{2}$

Step 1.5

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{4}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10} + a^{2} (- a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2} - a^{2}$

Step 1.6

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $- a^{2}$ .

$a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10} + a^{2} (- a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2} + a^{2} \cdot - 1$

Step 1.7

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{2} a^{18} + a^{2} (- a^{14})$ .

$a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10} + a^{2} (- a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2} + a^{2} \cdot - 1$

Step 1.8

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14}) + a^{2} a^{10}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10}) + a^{2} (- a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2} + a^{2} \cdot - 1$

Step 1.9

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10}) + a^{2} (- a^{6})$ .

$a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2} + a^{2} \cdot - 1$

Step 1.10

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6}) + a^{2} a^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2}) + a^{2} \cdot - 1$

Step 1.11

Factor $a^{2}$ out of $a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2}) + a^{2} \cdot - 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{18} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 2

Factor $a^{14}$ out of $a^{18} - a^{14}$ .

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Step 2.1

Factor $a^{14}$ out of $a^{18}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} a^{4} - a^{14} + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 2.2

Factor $a^{14}$ out of $- a^{14}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} a^{4} + a^{14} \cdot - 1 + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 2.3

Factor $a^{14}$ out of $a^{14} a^{4} + a^{14} \cdot - 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{4} - 1) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 3

Rewrite $a^{4}$ as ${(a^{2})}^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} ({(a^{2})}^{2} - 1) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 4

Rewrite $1$ as $1^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} ({(a^{2})}^{2} - 1^{2}) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 5

Since both terms are perfect squares, factor using the difference of squares formula, $a^{2} - b^{2} = (a + b) (a - b)$ where $a = a^{2}$ and $b = 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} ((a^{2} + 1) (a^{2} - 1)) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 6

Factor.

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Step 6.1

Simplify.

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Step 6.1.1

Rewrite $1$ as $1^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} ((a^{2} + 1) (a^{2} - 1^{2})) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 6.1.2

Factor.

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Step 6.1.2.1

Since both terms are perfect squares, factor using the difference of squares formula, $a^{2} - b^{2} = (a + b) (a - b)$ where $a = a$ and $b = 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} ((a^{2} + 1) ((a + 1) (a - 1))) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 6.1.2.2

Remove unnecessary parentheses.

$a^{2} (a^{14} ((a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1)) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 6.2

Remove unnecessary parentheses.

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{10} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 7

Factor $a^{6}$ out of $a^{10} - a^{6}$ .

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Step 7.1

Factor $a^{6}$ out of $a^{10}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} a^{4} - a^{6} + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 7.2

Factor $a^{6}$ out of $- a^{6}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} a^{4} + a^{6} \cdot - 1 + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 7.3

Factor $a^{6}$ out of $a^{6} a^{4} + a^{6} \cdot - 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} (a^{4} - 1) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 8

Rewrite $a^{4}$ as ${(a^{2})}^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ({(a^{2})}^{2} - 1) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 9

Rewrite $1$ as $1^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ({(a^{2})}^{2} - 1^{2}) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 10

Since both terms are perfect squares, factor using the difference of squares formula, $a^{2} - b^{2} = (a + b) (a - b)$ where $a = a^{2}$ and $b = 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ((a^{2} + 1) (a^{2} - 1)) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 11

Factor.

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Step 11.1

Simplify.

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Step 11.1.1

Rewrite $1$ as $1^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ((a^{2} + 1) (a^{2} - 1^{2})) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 11.1.2

Factor.

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Step 11.1.2.1

Since both terms are perfect squares, factor using the difference of squares formula, $a^{2} - b^{2} = (a + b) (a - b)$ where $a = a$ and $b = 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ((a^{2} + 1) ((a + 1) (a - 1))) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 11.1.2.2

Remove unnecessary parentheses.

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} ((a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1)) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 11.2

Remove unnecessary parentheses.

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{2} - 1)$

Step 12

Rewrite $1$ as $1^{2}$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{2} - 1^{2})$

Step 13

Since both terms are perfect squares, factor using the difference of squares formula, $a^{2} - b^{2} = (a + b) (a - b)$ where $a = a$ and $b = 1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1))$

Step 14

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1)$ .

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Step 14.1

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1)$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6} (a^{2} + 1)) + (a + 1) (a - 1))$

Step 14.2

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6} (a^{2} + 1)) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (1))$

Step 14.3

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $(a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6} (a^{2} + 1)) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (1)$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6} (a^{2} + 1) + 1))$

Step 15

Apply the distributive property.

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6} a^{2} + a^{6} \cdot 1 + 1))$

Step 16

Multiply $a^{6}$ by $a^{2}$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 16.1

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{6 + 2} + a^{6} \cdot 1 + 1))$

Step 16.2

Add $6$ and $2$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{8} + a^{6} \cdot 1 + 1))$

Step 17

Multiply $a^{6}$ by $1$ .

$a^{2} (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 18

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{8} + a^{6} + 1)$ .

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Step 18.1

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) (a + 1) (a - 1)$ .

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1)) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 18.2

Factor $(a + 1) (a - 1)$ out of $(a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1)) + (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{8} + a^{6} + 1)$ .

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{14} (a^{2} + 1) + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 19

Apply the distributive property.

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{14} a^{2} + a^{14} \cdot 1 + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 20

Multiply $a^{14}$ by $a^{2}$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 20.1

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{14 + 2} + a^{14} \cdot 1 + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 20.2

Add $14$ and $2$ .

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{16} + a^{14} \cdot 1 + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 21

Multiply $a^{14}$ by $1$ .

$a^{2} ((a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{16} + a^{14} + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1))$

Step 22

Remove unnecessary parentheses.

$a^{2} (a + 1) (a - 1) (a^{16} + a^{14} + a^{8} + a^{6} + 1)$