Are there any perfect squares that is form of $3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$

elementary-number-theorysquare-numbers

$3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$ is $1$ mod $4$

$3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$ is sometimes $1$ mod $3$ (and sometimes divisible by 9)

$3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$ is sometimes $9$ mod $11$

I tried to find if are there any perfect squares that is form of $3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$, but I did not succeed.

Can $3\underbrace{88…8}_{n \text{ times}}1$ be a perfect square?

Best Answer

Reducing modulo seven, $381 \equiv 3$.

To get from this term to the next, note that $381(10) + 71 = 3881$.

More generally, new terms are generated by $n \mapsto 10n + 71$.

Again reducing modulo seven, observe that $3(10) + 71 = 101 \equiv 3$.

So, every term in your list is $3$ $\text{mod}$ $7$.

But, no square can have a remainder of three after division by seven.

Reducing modulo seven, we find:

$0^2 = 0 \equiv 0$

$1^2 = 1 \equiv 1$

$2^2 = 4 \equiv 4$

$3^2 = 9 \equiv 2$

$4^2 = 16 \equiv 2$

$5^2 = 25 \equiv 4$

$6^2 = 36 \equiv 1$.

Since three doesn't appear in this list, you cannot arrive at a square in your sequence.

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