35th Eötvös 1931

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Problem 2

Show that an odd square cannot be expressed as the sum of five odd squares.

 

Solution

An odd square must be 1 mod 8. So the sum of five odd squares is 5 mod 8 and cannot be a square.

 


 

35th Eötvös 1931

© John Scholes
jscholes@kalva.demon.co.uk
1 Nov 2003
Last corrected/updated 1 Nov 03