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Rectangular Numbers

1) The sum of the first n positive even numbers is n(n+1). 2) This is proved by showing that the sum of the even numbers from 2 to 2n can be written as the sum of 2n + (2n-2) + ... + 6 + 4 + 2, and adding these two expressions yields 2n(n+1). 3) The n(n+1) even numbers can be arranged in a rectangular pattern, giving them the name "rectangular numbers".

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Chandrahas Halai
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70 views

Rectangular Numbers

1) The sum of the first n positive even numbers is n(n+1). 2) This is proved by showing that the sum of the even numbers from 2 to 2n can be written as the sum of 2n + (2n-2) + ... + 6 + 4 + 2, and adding these two expressions yields 2n(n+1). 3) The n(n+1) even numbers can be arranged in a rectangular pattern, giving them the name "rectangular numbers".

Uploaded by

Chandrahas Halai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Rectangular Numbers

By Chandrahas M. Halai

In my earlier article
https://chandrahasblogs.wordpress.com/2022/03/18/sum-of-odd-numbers/
I had shown that the sum of first n positive odd numbers gives us the square of
n.

You must be wondering what would be the sum of first n positive even
numbers? Let us find out.

We have, the first positive even number is 2 = 1 x 2


Next, we have, 2 + 4 = 6 = 2 x 3
Next, we have, 2 + 4 + 6 = 12 = 3 x 4
Next, we have, 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 = 20 = 4 x 5
Next, we have, 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10 = 30 = 5 x 6
Next, we have, 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 = 42 = 6 x 7

From this discussion can we say that the sum of first n positive even numbers is

= 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
Let us prove it.

Let
𝑆 = 2 + 4 + 6 + ⋯ + 2(𝑛 − 1) + 2𝑛

The nth even number is given by 2n.


We have

𝑆 = 2 + 4 + 6 + ⋯ + 2(𝑛 − 1) + 2𝑛 - (1)
𝑆 = 2𝑛 + (2𝑛 − 2) + ⋯ + 6 + 4 + 2 - (2)

Let us now add (1) and (2), we have

2𝑆 = (2𝑛 + 2) + (2𝑛 + 2) + (2𝑛 + 2) + ⋯ + (2𝑛 + 2) + (2𝑛 + 2)


2𝑆 = 𝑛(2𝑛 + 2) = 2𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
𝑆 = 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
Thus it is proved.

The n(n+1) number of things can be arranged in a rectangle as shown in Figure


1. Hence, these numbers are called Rectangular numbers or Oblong numbers.
In figure 1, the numbers in the first column are rectangular numbers.

Figure 1

The numbers which are a product of two consecutive numbers are also called
Pronic numbers.

Pronic numbers are twice the triangular numbers. Refer my earlier article on
Triangular numbers.
https://chandrahasblogs.wordpress.com/2022/03/09/triangular-numbers/

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