In (1) you just write down them differences carefully, one after another, like


...

...
then most of the stuff groups together or cancels out nicely, and you end up with some number, which isn't awfully huge.
(2) is not a math question at all. It's so ugly and (what's the word for безблагодатный? graceless?); I guess there's no way to do it but to go and do it.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=4444%5E4444