The Problem Site : Problem Pages : High School Math


If you square me, I'll square you!

"Give two different numbers, each of which is the square of the other."



Problem Moderated by: Graeme
Problem Solution

To solve this problem, think of two numbers, x and y, such that

x2 = y and
y2 = x

This is a pair of equations, which you can solve for x and y.  Two easy solutions are

x=0,y=0

and

x=1,y=1,

but we're looking for a solution in which x is not equal to y, so these won't do.  So let's assume neither x nor y is 0 and neither x nor y is 1.  Using the substitution method, substitute y2 in place of x in the first equation.  So we start with

x2 = y, then make the substitution, giving us
y4 = y, then divide both sides by y (which isn't zero), giving us
y3 = 1

y isn't equal to 1, but there are two other cube roots of 1, and they're both complex numbers.  Let b be one of the cube roots of 1.

b6 = (b3)2 = 12 = 1 (That was pretty obvious)

b6 can also be written (b2)3, so b2 is another cube root of 1.  (You know b2 isn't equal to b, because the only solutions of b=b2 are 0, and 1, and we already said b isn't 0 or 1.)

(b2)2 = b4 = b(b3) = b

So the square of b is b2, and the square of b2 is b.  The two numbers, each of which is the square of the other, are the two non-real cube roots of 1.  FYI, these numbers are

-1/2 + (sqrt(3)/2)i   and
-1/2 - (sqrt(3)/2)i

If you know how to multiply complex numbers, you can verify that each one of these is the square of the other!


Options
Choose a Page
Login
Join The Site
High School Math
Current Problem
Previous Problem
Scores
About This Page

Subscribe
Archives
2008 Problems
2007 Problems
2006 Problems
2004 Problems
2003 Problems
2002 Problems
Problem Pages
Brainfood
High School Math
Calculus
The Maine Page
Games!
Math Games
Word Games
Strategy Games
All Games

The Problem Site : Problem Pages : High School Math