factor:

(a-b)^2 - (c-d)^2

(a - b - c + d)(a- b + c - D)

how did you get that??

[ (a-b) - (c-d) ] - [ (a-b) + (c-d) ]

[ a - b - c + d ] [ a - b + c - d ]

Wolfram Alpha ^_^

remember - -d = + d

LOL, no need for wolfram !

the answers at the back of the textbook say that the answer is (a-b+c-d)(a-b-c+d)

i don't get it :$

That is exactly what we got

x y = y x the order is just reversed

To factor the expression (a - b)^2 - (c - d)^2, we can use the difference of squares formula. The difference of squares formula states that a^2 - b^2 can be factored as (a + b)(a - b).

Applying the difference of squares formula to the given expression, we have:

(a - b)^2 - (c - d)^2
[(a - b) + (c - d)][(a - b) - (c - d)]

Now we can simplify this expression further:

(a - b) + (c - d) = a - b + c - d
(a - b) - (c - d) = a - b - c + d

Therefore, the factored form of the expression (a - b)^2 - (c - d)^2 is:

[(a - b) + (c - d)][(a - b) - (c - d)] = (a - b + c - d)(a - b - c + d)