What is the value of the expression 9² - 3²?

To find the value of the expression (9^2 - 3^2), you can apply the concept of the difference of squares, which states that (a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b)). Here, (a = 9) and (b = 3).

First, calculate both squares:

• (9^2 = 81)

• (3^2 = 9)

Now, substitute these values into the expression:

[

9^2 - 3^2 = 81 - 9

]

Perform the subtraction:

[

81 - 9 = 72

]

Thus, the overall value of the expression is 72. The answer is obtained by correctly applying the properties of squares and executing basic arithmetic operations.