Which expression represents the difference of cubes?

The expression that represents the difference of cubes takes the form (a^3 - b^3) and is factored as ((a - b)(a^2 + ab + b^2)).

In this context, when you have two variables (a) and (b), the difference of their cubes involves subtracting (b^3) from (a^3). The mathematical identity for the difference of cubes states that when you factor (a^3 - b^3), you are left with two components: the linear term ((a - b)) and the trinomial term ((a^2 + ab + b^2)).

The linear term captures the straightforward difference between (a) and (b), while the trinomial reflects the squared and mixed product terms of the two variables without introducing any additional linear components that would arise if you were to combine them differently. Thus, the chosen expression correctly portrays the nature of the difference of cubes.