- #1
RichardCypher
- 14
- 0
Hi everybody
I'm currently reading Burton's Elementary Number Theory (almost done!) and in the chapter about Lagrange's Theorem about the sum of four squares, there is a supposedly easy question which I can't solve for some reason
. I'd really appreciate a hint or two...
Prove that at least one of any four consecutive natural numbers is not a sum of two squares [that is, can't be represented as the sum of two squares of whole numbers]
Thank you all!![Smile :smile: :smile:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I'm currently reading Burton's Elementary Number Theory (almost done!) and in the chapter about Lagrange's Theorem about the sum of four squares, there is a supposedly easy question which I can't solve for some reason
![Blushing :blushing: :blushing:](https://www.physicsforums.com/styles/physicsforums/xenforo/smilies/oldschool/blushing.gif)
Prove that at least one of any four consecutive natural numbers is not a sum of two squares [that is, can't be represented as the sum of two squares of whole numbers]
Thank you all!