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What is the product of the two integer values for x for which \(\mid x^2 - 16 \mid\) is a prime number?

 

Thanks in advance.

 Mar 22, 2018
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A prime number is a natural number greater than one that cannot be formed by multiplying two smaller natural numbers.

 

The only way I can think of to approach this problem is to plug in some values and try. 

 

Three works because three squared is nine, and nine minus sixteen is negative seven. The absolute value of that is seven, which is a prime number. 

 

Since negative numbers are also integers, negative three must also work.

 

The two numbers are 3 and (-3)

 

The product of these two numbers is 3 * (-3) which is -9

 

I hope this helped, 

 

Supermanaccz

 Mar 22, 2018

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