Are they related?

Algebra Level 2

1 + 2 + 3 + + n = 300 1 3 + 2 3 + 3 3 + + n 3 = ? \begin{array} { l l l l l l l l l l } &1 & + &2 & + &3 & + & \ldots & + & n & = & 300 \\ &1^3 & + &2^3 & + &3^3 & + & \ldots & + & n^3 & = & \ ? \\ \end{array}


The answer is 90000.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

6 solutions

Patrick Heebels
May 5, 2015

Reply to Chung Kevin on the remarks/questions to Evan Harahap.



First we will proof:

  1. k = 1 n k = 1 2 n ( n + 1 ) \sum_{k=1}^n k = \frac{1}{2}n \cdot (n+1)

  2. k = 1 n k 3 = ( 1 2 n ( n + 1 ) ) 2 = ( k = 1 n k ) 2 \sum_{k=1}^n k^3 = (\frac{1}{2}n \cdot (n+1))^2 = (\sum_{k=1}^n k)^2


Proof of (1)

Let S = k = 1 n k = 1 + 2 + 3 + + ( n 1 ) + n S = \sum_{k=1}^n k = 1 + 2 + 3 + \ldots + (n-1) + n

and writing the terms backwards we get:

S = k = 1 n k = n + ( n 1 ) + ( n 2 ) + + 2 + 1 S = \sum_{k=1}^n k = n + (n-1) + (n-2) + \ldots + 2 + 1

Summing both identities of S S term by term results in:

2 S = ( 1 + n ) + ( 2 + ( n 1 ) ) + ( 3 + ( n 2 ) ) + + ( n + 1 ) 2S = (1 + n) + (2 + (n-1)) + (3 + (n-2)) + \ldots + (n + 1)

= ( n + 1 ) + ( n + 1 ) + + ( n + 1 ) = (n+1) + (n+1) + \ldots + (n+1)

Because we have n n terms (each one being ( n + 1 ) (n+1) ) on the righthand side, we have:

2 S = n ( n + 1 ) S = 1 2 n ( n + 1 ) 2S = n \cdot (n+1) \Leftrightarrow S = \frac{1}{2} n \cdot (n+1)

N.B. We could also proof (1) by induction.


Proof of (2)

Let P ( n ) : k = 1 n k 3 = ( k = 1 n k ) 2 P(n): \sum_{k=1}^n k^3 = (\sum_{k=1}^n k)^2

n = 1 k = 1 1 k 3 = 1 3 = 1 n = 1 \Rightarrow \sum_{k=1}^1 k^3 = 1^3 = 1 and ( k = 1 1 k ) 2 = ( 1 ) 2 = 1 (\sum_{k=1}^1 k)^2 = (1)^2 = 1

Assume P ( n ) P(n) is true. Then:

k = 1 n + 1 k 3 = \sum_{k=1}^{n+1} k^3 = ( k = 1 n k 3 ) + ( n + 1 ) 3 = (\sum_{k=1}^n k^3) + (n+1)^3 =

( k = 1 n k ) 2 + ( n + 1 ) 3 = (\sum_{k=1}^n k)^2 + (n+1)^3 =

( 1 2 n ( n + 1 ) ) 2 + ( n + 1 ) 3 = (\frac{1}{2}n \cdot (n+1))^2 + (n+1)^3 =

( 1 2 ) 2 n 2 ( n + 1 ) 2 + ( n + 1 ) 3 = (\frac{1}{2})^2 \cdot n^2 \cdot (n+1)^2 + (n+1)^3 =

( 1 2 ) 2 n 2 ( n + 1 ) 2 + ( 1 2 ) 2 4 ( n + 1 ) 3 = (\frac{1}{2})^2 \cdot n^2 \cdot (n+1)^2 + (\frac{1}{2})^2 \cdot 4 \cdot (n+1)^3 =

( 1 2 ) 2 ( n + 1 ) 2 ( n 2 + 4 ( n + 1 ) ) = (\frac{1}{2})^2 \cdot (n+1)^2 \cdot (n^2 + 4(n+1)) =

( 1 2 ) 2 ( n + 1 ) 2 ( n + 2 ) 2 = (\frac{1}{2})^2 \cdot (n+1)^2 \cdot (n+2)^2 =

( 1 2 ( n + 1 ) ( n + 2 ) ) 2 = P ( n + 1 ) (\frac{1}{2} (n+1) (n+2))^2 = P(n+1)


Now for the stated problem:

1 + 2 + + n = 300 1 + 2 + \ldots + n = 300 \Leftrightarrow

1 2 n ( n + 1 ) = 300 \frac{1}{2} n (n+1) = 300 \Leftrightarrow

n ( n + 1 ) 600 = 0 n (n+1) - 600 = 0 \Leftrightarrow

n 2 + n 600 = 0 n^2 + n - 600 = 0 \Leftrightarrow

( n + 25 ) ( n 24 ) = 0 (n+25)(n-24) = 0 \Leftrightarrow

n = 24 n=24 (because n > 0 n > 0 )


So a solution exists and n = 24 n = 24 gives:

1 3 + 2 3 + 3 3 + + 2 4 3 = 1^3 + 2^3 + 3^3 + \ldots + 24^3 =

k = 1 24 k 3 = \sum_{k=1}^{24} k^3 =

( k = 1 24 k ) 2 = (\sum_{k=1}^{24} k)^2 =

( 1 2 24 ( 24 + 1 ) ) 2 = 30 0 2 = 90000 (\frac{1}{2}\cdot 24 \cdot (24+1))^2 = 300^2 = 90000

Moderator note:

Nicely done. One must always verify that there is an integer solution first before jumping to the step 30 0 2 = 90000 300^2=90000 .

Can't I use this? Sn=n/2(a1+an)

we already have n=24

a1=1^3 and a24=24^3 S24=(24/2)(1+24^3)=165900

Samwan Tan - 6 years ago

Log in to reply

That formula applies to arithmetic progressions only. First one is, but not the second.

Gabriel Genellina - 5 years, 11 months ago
Evan Harahap
Apr 30, 2015

( 1 + 2 + 3 +... + n) = k for any positive integer n and k, so ( 1^3 + 2^3 + 3^3 +... +n^3) = k^2.

Moderator note:

Can you explain why it works? Are you sure there's a solution? If I changed 300 300 to 299 299 , would there still exist a solution? Why or why not?

this can be proved by mathematical induction

Neil Yabut - 6 years, 1 month ago

I disagree, because 3 + 4 > 5

yet 3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2

Ahmad Majed - 6 years, 1 month ago
Pro Man
May 20, 2015

Lets not complicate it... Lets just take the first 3 terms... 1+2+3=6 ; 1^3+2^3+3^3=36 now to verify the same squared relationship consider first 2 terms... 1+2=3 and 1^3+2^3=9 Yay ! that means answer is getting squared...so square of 30 gives us 90000 ! Peace out !

Great cool very great

Gourab Roy - 6 years ago
Mohammed Tajuddin
May 11, 2015

1+2+3+......n = n(n+1)/2 ,
1^3 + ........ n^3 = { n(n+1)/2 }^2 ,
given n(n+1)/2 = 300 ,
therefore 1^3+ .........+n^3 = 300^2 ,
which is equal to 90000 ,
in this way they are related




I really don't have a solution, I just input all the terms in the calculator and found 90000. first, I tried 1+2+3+. . . +n, trial and error until I got the 300, where n = 24. then I cube all those terms, from 1 to 24 using my calculator (and the computer's calculator to arrive at the that value)until I got the 90000 and answered the problem. After answering it, I revealed those three solutions and amazed in their solutions. I tried it in my calculator and it really worked. thank you for those, I've learned.

what had I learned? It is not stopping to solve any problems. be it a mathematics or real life one. Maybe they had their easy way, that theirs are so quick and simple as that, but the Important thing is I tried my own and learned from it. (:

*good thing the sum of the terms is only small-- 300. if it's that large like for example, 3,000,000 or that of the avogadro's number, 6.022x10^23 I think, all my life I can't find the answer. hehehe. But I tried.!

Moderator note:

Try not to post a comment as a solution. Note that there's only one correct solution (so far). Do you understand the title of this question: "Are they related"?

Taran Kota
May 5, 2015

The way i looked at it is like this1^3+ 2^3 +3^3.....+n^3 is the same as (1+2+3....+n)^3. Because of this, we only need to cube the solution to this huge sequence, 300. 300^3=90000

Moderator note:

Why must "1^3+ 2^3 +3^3.....+n^3 is the same as (1+2+3....+n)^3"?

If I changed 300 300 to 299 299 , would there still exist a solution? Why or why not?

Are you sure that 30 0 3 = 90000 300^3 = 90000 ?

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...