Use Euclid’s division lemma to show that the square of any positive integer is either of the form 3m or 3m + 1 for some integer m.
Answers
Answer:
By Euclid’s division algorithm;
x =3q + r (for some integer q ≥ 0 and r = 0, 1, 2 as r ≥ 0 and r < 3)
Therefore,
x = 3q, 3q + 1 and 3q + 2
As per the given question, if we take the square on both the sides, we get;
x2 = (3q)2 = 9q2 = 3.3q2
Let 3q2 = m
Therefore,
x2 = 3m ………………….(1)
x2 = (3q + 1)2
= (3q)2 + 12 + 2 × 3q × 1
= 9q2 + 1 + 6q
= 3(3q2 + 2q) + 1
Substitute, 3q2+2q = m, to get,
x2 = 3m + 1 ……………………………. (2)
x2 = (3q + 2)2
= (3q)2 + 22 + 2 × 3q × 2
= 9q2 + 4 + 12q
= 3(3q2 + 4q + 1) + 1
Again, substitute, 3q2 + 4q + 1 = m, to get,
x2 = 3m + 1…………………………… (3)
Hence, from eq. 1, 2 and 3, we conclude that, the square of any positive integer is either of the form 3m or 3m + 1 for some integer m.
Hence, from eq. 1, 2 and 3, we conclude that, the square of any positive integer is either of the form 3m or 3m + 1 for some integer m.