A positive integer is of the form 3q + 1, q being a natural number. Can you write its square in any form other than 3m + 1, 3m or 3m + 2 for some integer m? Justify your answer.
Question 5 A positive integer is of the form 3q + 1, q being a natural number. Can you write its square in any form other than 3m + 1. i.e., 3m or 3m +2 for some integer m? Justify your answer.
Use Euclid’s division lemma to show that the square of any positive integer is either of form 3m or 3m + 1 for some integer m.
[Hint: Let x be any positive integer then it is of the form 3q, 3q + 1 or 3q + 2. Now square each of these and show that they can be rewritten in the form 3m or 3m + 1.]