25/03/2026
This can be simplified to use with middle school students. Ask them to calculate 1 cubed + 2 cubed + 3 cubed. Is the answer a perfect square number? Then have them add on 4 cubed to the result, then 5 cubed. Have them look for a pattern.
A beautiful identity in mathematics:
The sum of the first n cubes forms a perfect square.
1³ + 2³ + 3³ + ... + n³ = (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n)²
In other words, add up the cubes… and you get the square of the triangular number.