**Step 1:** Imagine you have this: $$x^2 - 4$$ **Step 2:** Think of $$x^2$$ as $$x \times x$$ (like 2 apples side by side) 🍎🍎 **Step 3:** The number 4 is the same as $$2 \times 2$$ (like 2 pairs of candies) 🍬🍬 **Step 4:** This is a special pattern called "difference of squares". It means: $$a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b)$$ **Step 5:** Here, $$a = x$$ and $$b = 2$$. So: $$x^2 - 4 = (x - 2)(x + 2)$$ **Step 6:** Let's see it like groups: ➕ Great! You factored $$x^2 - 4$$ as $$(x - 2)(x + 2)$$ 🎉