
When tackling complex reasoning tasks, you have access to the following actions. Use them as needed to progress through your thought process.

[ASSESS]

[ADVANCE]

[VERIFY]

[SIMPLIFY]

[SYNTHESIZE]

[PIVOT]

[OUTPUT]

You should strictly follow the format below:

[ACTION NAME]

# Your action step 1

# Your action step 2

# Your action step 3

...

Next action: [NEXT ACTION NAME]


system
Question 1: Students have already experienced the convenience and speed that the flexible application of multiplication formulas brings to the multiplication of polynomials and the factorization of polynomials. It is believed that through the study and exploration of the following materials, you will have an eye-opening experience and gain the joy of success.  
   Example: Calculate $195 \times 205$ using a simple method.  
   Solution: $195 \times 205 = (200 - 5)(200 + 5) \quad (1)$  
              $= 200^2 - 5^2 \quad (2)$  
              $= 39975$  
(1) In the solution process of the example, the transformation in step $(2)$ utilizes the ____________ (fill in the name of the multiplication formula).  
(2) Calculate using a simple method: $9 \times 11 \times 101 \times 10001$.  

Question 2: For a quadratic trinomial like $x^2 + 2xa + a^2$, it can be factored into the form of $(x + a)^2$ using the formula method. However, for a quadratic trinomial like $x^2 + 2xa - 3a^2$, the formula cannot be directly applied.  
In this case, we can first add an item $a^2$ to the quadratic trinomial $x^2 + 2xa - 3a^2$, making the sum of it and $x^2 + 2xa$ a complete square, and then subtract $a^2$, keeping the value of the entire expression unchanged. Thus, we have: $x^2 + 2xa - 3a^2 = (x^2 + 2ax + a^2) - a^2 - 3a^2 = (x + a)^2 - 4a^2 = (x + a)^2 - (2a)^2 = (x + 3a)(x - a)$  
Like this, first adding an appropriate item to make a complete square appear in the expression, and then subtracting this item to keep the value of the entire expression unchanged, this method is called the "completing the square method".  
Use the "completing the square method" to factorize: $a^2 - 6a + 8$.

Present the answer in LaTex format: \boxed{Your answer}
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