The equation shown in the image is:

$1 + 3 + 5 + \cdots + (2n - 3) + (2n - 1) = n^2$

This is the sum of the first $n$ odd numbers. The series starts at 1 and goes up to $(2n - 1)$, and the sum of the first $n$ odd numbers is well-known to be equal to $n^2$.

Let's break this down:

1. The sequence of odd numbers is: $1, 3, 5, 7, \dots, (2n - 1)$ The $n$-th term of this sequence is $2n - 1$.

2. The sum of the first $n$ odd numbers can be written as: $1 + 3 + 5 + \cdots + (2n - 1)$

3. There is a well-established result in mathematics that states: $1 + 3 + 5 + \cdots + (2n - 1) = n^2$

This result can be proved by induction or through other methods like visualizing the sum as the construction of a square of side length $n$.

Would you like a detailed proof of this result, or any further explanation? Here are some related questions:

1. How can this result be derived using induction?
2. What is the significance of odd number sums in other areas of mathematics?
3. Can we generalize this sum to other types of series, such as even numbers?
4. How does this sum relate to the formula for the area of a square?
5. What happens if we sum the squares of odd numbers instead?

Tip: The sum of consecutive odd numbers is one of the simplest examples of a series with a geometric visualization, making it useful for understanding number theory concepts.