miercuri, 3 iunie 2026

The E : 17461 problem, half easy, half hard // Задача E: 17461, наполовину простая, наполовину сложная

 From GMB (page 159), also proposed for 5th grade.

          " E : 17461.  Let  $N=3+3^2+3^3+\dots+3^{4n+1}\;,\;n\in\mathbb{N}.$

            a)  Show that  $2N+3$  s a perfect square.

            b)  For  $n$  even natural numbers, determine the last two digits of  $N$.

                                                                                  {author : } Marin CHIRCIU, Pitești "


Partial  ANSWER  CiP

a)  $2N+3=(3^{2n+1})^2$

b) The answer is not a unique number. We have :

$3+3^2+3^3+3^4+3^5+3^6+3^7+3^8+3^9=29\;5\color{Yellow}{23}$

$3+3^2+3^3+\dots+3^{17}=193\;710\;2\color{Pink}{43}$


Solution CiP

                    a) $2N+3=\color{Red}{3}+N+N=$

$=\color{Red}{3}+(3+3)+(3^2+3^2)+(3^3+3^3)+\dots+(3^{4n+1}+3^{4n+1})=$

$=\color{Red}{(3+3+3)}+(3^2+3^2)+(3^3+3^3)+\dots+(3^{4n+1}+3^{4n+1}).$

Let's observe that  $3+3+3=3^2$ ...and in general

$3^k+3^k+3^k=3^{k+1} \tag{1}$

Then, the red parenthesis results is $\color{Red}{3^2}$ , which appears as the term in the second parenthesis thus :

$(\color{Red}{3^2}+3^2+3^2)+(3^3+3^3)+\dots +(3^{4n+1}+3^{4n+1}).$

     Continuing this calculation, we finally obtain the result

$2N+3=\color{Red}{3^{4n+1}}+3^{4n+1}+3^{4n+1}\underset{(1)}{=}3^{4n+2}=(3^{2n+1})^2\;,$

i.e. a perfect square.

$\square$

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