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

Related PAT University answers

All answers ▸

Physics PAT 2017 question 20 https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/page/2011/02/14/pat-2017-paper-42578.pdf


Derive the mgh approximation for gravitational potential energy.


If water is trapped between two planes on a train, and the train decelerates at 4ms^-2. What angle does the surface of the water make with the horizontal?


Find all real solutions of (x^2 +4x +3)^(x^2 -6x+8) = 1