Math Problem Statement
Show that the difference between the squares of two consecutive odd numbers is a multiple of 8.
Solution
Let's denote two consecutive odd numbers as and .
The squares of these two consecutive odd numbers are:
The difference between these squares is:
Now, let's expand :
So, the difference becomes:
We can factor out the common factor 4:
Since is an odd number, is an even number. Let , where is an integer.
Substituting this into the expression:
This shows that the difference between the squares of two consecutive odd numbers is , which is clearly a multiple of 8.
Thus, the difference between the squares of two consecutive odd numbers is always a multiple of 8.
Would you like further details or have any questions? Here are some related questions for you to explore:
- What happens if you take the difference between squares of consecutive even numbers?
- How would you prove that the difference between squares of any two consecutive integers is an odd number?
- Can this method be used to show that the difference between squares of any two consecutive numbers is related to their sum?
- What can you say about the sum of the squares of two consecutive odd numbers?
- How does this property of squares relate to the concept of arithmetic progressions?
Tip: When proving mathematical properties, look for patterns and try to factor expressions to identify common multiples.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Algebra
Arithmetic
Number Theory
Formulas
Difference of squares formula: (a^2 - b^2) = (a - b)(a + b)
Theorems
Properties of even and odd numbers
Multiplication properties
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-10