In (a), just apply the identity (a-b)^2=(a+b)^2-4ab.
Then you have to take the square root.
In this question, there is no informatiob whether x>0 or x<0 so, strictly speaking, you have to take both +ve and -ve square roots.
(If your teacher is tricky, he/she will add an requirement x<0 and many students will be trapped.
)
In (b), apply the identity a^2-b^2=(a+b)(a-b).