Math help???

Question

I am factoring ploynomials.
The two problems I am working on....
Problem one is...
t^2 - 9w^2
Problem two is...
a^2 - 2a - 35

Thanks Appreciation.....

Answer 1

The first answer:
t^2-9w^2 is seen as "the difference between two squares" (since t^2= (t)^2 and 9w^2 = (3w)^2) For the difference of two squares, a^2-b^2, it can be factored (a-b)(a+b). So, in this case a=t and b=3w .So your answer is such:
(t + 3w) ( t - 3w)

The second answer:
This is written in the form ax^2 + bx + c, where a=1, b= -2 and c= -35.
Now for this problem, you want to look at factors of c, -35, who's sum is equal to b, -2. Factors of -35 include:
(-1,35) (-7,5) (-5, 7) and (-35, 1)
We see that the only pair that adds to -2 is (-7,5)
So, the answer is:
(a -7)(a + 5)
Hope that helps.

Answer 2

1) is a difference of squares.

2) (a+?)(a-??) where the two unknowns multiply to 35 and whose difference is 2...