whats the difference?

It's not the same... When you expand the fist , you get: 9x^2-60x+100... With the second you get: 3x^2-60x+300

In the order of operations, you first do the operations that are inside the parentheses. For the top function, that means multiplying whatever x is by 3, then subtracting ten, and then you multiply that by the other set of parentheses, which is conveniently the same. Let's say that x is 2. If you multiply 2 by 3, you get 6. After that, you subtract 10, which gives you -4. Multiply that by the other side, which also equals -4, so the top function equals 16.

The bottom, on the other hand, waits until the very end to multiply by 3, and it only does it once (in the top function, you multiplied x by 3 twice, once before each time you subtracted 10). If you still use the same example, making x equal 2, the first step is now to subtract 10. After you do that, it equals -8. Do the same with the other side, making both sets of numbers in the parentheses -8. After you finish what is inside the parentheses, you can move on to what is outside them. The 3, the number outside the parentheses, doesn't have any symbols between it and the parentheses, so you automatically use multiplication. When you multiply 3 with -8, you get -24. After that, multiply -24 by the -8 from the other parentheses to give you 192.

Because 16 is not equal to 192, the functions are not the same.

It also helps to do this multiple times, using different numbers for x each time, just to make sure, and to use a graphing calculator. If you can afford one, a graphing calculator will become a great friend in just about any math class. For instance, I have used my $84 TI-84 Plus graphing calculator in not only Algebra, but Geometry, Advanced Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, German, English (grades 9 and 10), Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Architectural Drafting, Mechanical Drafting, Basic and advanced Woodworking, and a few others, in addition to the ACT, SAT, and PLAN tests. Get one and have fun with it, and problems like that will become EXTREMELY easy for you, and maybe even fun.

(3x - 10)(3x - 10) = ( 3x - 10) ^2 which is equal to

9x^2 - 60x + 100 ;

3(x - 10)(x - 10) = 3 (x - 10) ^2 which is 3( x^2 - 20x + 100) which on opening the brackets gives

3 x^2 - 60x + 300;

thw two answers are different

(3x - 10)(3x - 10)

is not the same as

3(x - 10)(x - 10)

(3x - 10)(3x - 10) = 3(x-10/3)3(x-10/3)

= 9(x-10/3)(x-10/3)

= 9 (x^2 - (20/3)x + 100/9)

= 9x^2 -60x + 100

3(x - 10)(x - 10) = 3(x^2 - 20x + 100)

= 3x^2 - 60x + 300

100 & 300 are different !!!!

(3x -10)(3x - 10)

9x^2 - 60x + 100 <----------

3(x - 10)(x - 10)

3[x^2 - 20x + 100]

3x^2 - 60x + 300 <----------

not even close

1. 9x^2 - 60x + 100

2. 3x^2 - 60x + 300

binomial expansion

9xx - 30x - 30x + 100.

3xx - 30x + 30x + 300.