16Hit 1600
Advanced MathVery hardSquared difference from sum and product

Advanced Math practice question

Two numbers have a sum of 9 and a product of 14. What is the square of their difference?

Answer: 25

(difference)² = (sum)² − 4 · (product) = 81 − 56 = 25. (The numbers are 7 and 2.)

Common wrong answers

If you answered 5
5 is the difference itself (7 − 2); the question asks for its square.
If you answered 53
Subtract 4 · 14 = 56, not 2 · 14 = 28: the identity is (sum)² − 4(product).
If you answered 81
81 is the square of the sum; subtract 4 times the product, 56.

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