For positive integers L, let SL=∑n=1L⌊n/2⌋. Determine all L for which SL is a square number.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
We distinguish two cases depending on the parity of L. Suppose first that L=2k−1 is odd, where k≥1. Then SL=∑1≤n≤2k−1⌊2n⌋=2∑0≤m<km=2⋅2k(k−1)=k(k−1). If k=1, this is the square number 0. If k>1 then (k−1)2<k(k−1)<k2, so k(k−1) is not square. Now suppose L=2k is even, where k≥1. Then SL=SL−1+k=k2 is always square. Hence SL is square exactly when L=1 or L is even.
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