How do I evaluate something like 3070^2-3069^2?

This looks pretty daunting, but the key to this sort of a problem, which has come up a couple of times in previous PAT tests, is to recognise that this expression is actually the difference of two squares. It can be generalised to the problem of evaluating:

x2-y2

which has as its solution:

x2-y2 = (x+y)(x-y)

so in this case:

30702-30692 = (3070+3069)(3070-3069)=(6139)(1)=6139

SC
Answered by Sam C. PAT tutor

3204 Views

See similar PAT University tutors

Related PAT University answers

All answers ▸

a boat is in a still lake with its anchor up in the boat, it then drops its anchor till it hits the bottom of the lake. Is the water level highest a) when the anchor is in the water. b) when the anchor is in the boat. c) it makes no difference.


How many trailing zeros are there in 100! (100 factorial)?


Estimate the radius of the moon based on a solar eclipse given the distances between the earth and the moon, the earth and the sun, and the radius of the sun.


What is the sum of the series 2/3 − 2/9 + 2/27 − ....? (PAT Q1 2013)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning