In the standard area model for \((n-5)^2\), what is the total area of the two removed strips?

Correct answer: \(10n\)

The correct answer is B: \(10n\). Begin with a large square of side \(n\), so its area is \(n^2\). To make a square of side \(n-5\), a strip of width 5 is removed along one direction and another strip of width 5 is removed along the other direction. In the usual visual identity model, each full strip is treated as having area \(n\times5=5n\). Therefore, the two strips together have area \(5n+5n=10n\). This is also visible from the identity \((n-5)^2=n^2-10n+25\): the term \(-10n\) records the combined removal of the two strips, while the \(+25\) term accounts for the small corner square that is restored or handled separately after the overlap. Option A gives only one strip. Option C uses an incorrect product and does not represent either the two strips or the corner. Option D is the area of the 5-by-5 corner square, not the total strip area. A common confusion is to mix the overlap with the strips; the question asks for the two strip contributions, represented by \(10n\).