Prove y is not a perfect square

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In summary, to determine if y is not a perfect square, take the square root of y and see if it is a whole number. No negative number can be a perfect square as they are always positive. An example of a non-perfect square number is 12, where its square root is a decimal. To prove that y is not a perfect square, show that its square root is a decimal or use the prime factorization method. Non-perfect square numbers cannot be the square of an integer.
  • #1
Albert1
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$x\in N$
$y=x^4+2x^3+2x^2+2x+1$
prove:$y$ is not a perfect square
 
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  • #2
For all $x > 0$, $$(x^2 + x)^2 = x^4 + 2x^3 + x^2 < x^4 + 2x^3 + 2x^2 + 2x + 1 < x^4 + 2x^3 + 3x^2 + 2x + 1 = (x^2 + x + 1)^2$$ As $y$ is sitting in between two consecutive perfect squares for $x \in \Bbb N \setminus \{0\}$, $y$ cannot itself be a perfect square.
 
  • #3
$y=x^4+2x^3+2x^2+2x+1$
=$x^4+2x^2+1+2x^3+2x$
=$(x^2+1)^2+2x(x^2+1)$
= $(x^2+1)(x^2+2x+1)$
= $(x^2+1)(x+1)^2$
as $x^2+1$ is between $x^2$ and $(x+1)^2$ and not a perfect square and $(x+1)^2$ is so the product is not a perfect square
 

Related to Prove y is not a perfect square

1. How do you determine if y is not a perfect square?

To determine if y is not a perfect square, you can take the square root of y and see if it is a whole number. If the square root is a decimal, then y is not a perfect square.

2. Can a negative number be a perfect square?

No, a negative number cannot be a perfect square. Perfect squares are always positive numbers.

3. What is an example of a non-perfect square number?

An example of a non-perfect square number is 12. The square root of 12 is approximately 3.46, which is not a whole number.

4. How can you prove that y is not a perfect square?

You can prove that y is not a perfect square by showing that its square root is a decimal and not a whole number. You can also use the prime factorization method to determine if a number is a perfect square.

5. Can a non-perfect square number be the square of an integer?

No, a non-perfect square number cannot be the square of an integer. Perfect squares are the square of whole numbers, and non-perfect squares are not.

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