It provides an opportunity for learners to experiment with
numerical examples, to observe a pattern and make a conjecture, to
try to explain their own conjecture and to formulate a proof of the
conjecture which involves only simple algebra.
Possible approach
Suggest that the learners make up their own examples similar to the
ones given and look for a pattern.
Key questions
Can you see any relationship between the numbers in the
examples?
Is there any pattern in the relationship between the numbers?
If you spot a pattern can you prove it always occurs?
Possible
extensions
The problen page suggests an extension to three times the sum of
three squares.
The pattern can be generalised to four times the sum of four
squares and so on (see the solution).
Possible support
Suggest that learners find out which of the numbers from 1 to 10
can be written as the sum of 2 squares.