Euler found four whole numbers such that the sum of any two of the numbers is a perfect square. Three of the numbers that he found are a = 18530, b=65570, c=45986. Find the fourth number, x. You could do this by trial and error, and a spreadsheet would be a good tool for such work. Write down a+x = P^2, b+x = Q^2, c+x = R^2, and then focus on Q^2-R^2=b-c which is known. Moreover you know that Q > sqrtb and R > sqrtc . Use this to show that Q-R is less than or equal to 41 . Use a spreadsheet to calculate values of Q+R , Q and x for values of Q-R from 1 to 41 , and hence to find the value of x for which a+x is a perfect square.
A square patio was tiled with square tiles all the same size. Some of the tiles were removed from the middle of the patio in order to make a square flower bed, but the number of the remaining tiles was still a square number. What were the dimensions of the patio and the flower bed?
A woman was born in a year that was a square number, lived a square number of years and died in a year that was also a square number. When was she born?