Subtracting integers with powers

[PhyStan7]

Homework Statement

Hey, sorry about this. Its really obvious, i think there's just some really simple way to do it. Its annoying me, my teacher couldn't do it either!

Evaluate 6667²-3333² (without a calculator)

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I know there is just some really obvious way to do it. It was only worth 2 marks. Checking the answer on a calculator it was 33340000 and 6667-3333=3334 so i wasnt sure if that was how you did it, found the answer to the integers minus each other and add zeros. But i tried other examples and it didnt hold true.

Thanks

 

[jamesrc]

At some point in class, you should have covered what the difference of two squares is. Just to remind you, it looks something like this:
a^2-b^2=(a+b)*(a-b)

I hope that helps.

 

[symbolipoint]

You in general can also try to factorize the terms and calculate and simplify that way; but in the example you gave, knowing the difference of two squares is more efficient as in post #2.

 

[PhyStan7]

Awesome, cheers guys!