
Squaring numbers ending in 9 or 1.
In our previous posts, we have discussed squaring numbers ending in 5, squaring numbers near powers of 10 and numbers near 50, 500 etc. We will now discuss squaring numbers ending in 9 or 1.
If a is any number ending in zero, a number ending in 9 can be represented by (a – 1) while a number ending in 1 can be expressed as (a + 1).
Using a common identity, we have for numbers ending in 1,
(a + 1)2 = a2 + 2(1)a + 12 = a2 + 2a + 1
Thus 312 = 302 + 2(30) + 1 = 900 + 60 + 1 = 961
and 712 = 702 + 2(70) + 1 = 4900 + 140 + 1 = 5041
Some would prefer to use this variation which is easier to remember
(a + 1)2 = a2 + 2a + 1 = a2 + a + (a + 1)
Now we have: 412 = 402 + 40 + 41 = 1681
and 612 = 602 + 60 + 61 = 3721
You can check your answers to these last two example using the technique for squaring numbers near 50. ( 41 = 50 – 9 and 61 = 50 + 11).
For numbers ending in 9, we can use a similar technique,
(a – 1)2 = a2 – 2(1)a + 12 = a2 – 2a + 1
Using this result, 292 = 302 – 2(30) + 1 = 900 – 60 + 1 = 841
and 692 = 702 – 2(70) + 1 = 4900 – 140 + 1 = 4761
Similarly, we can use this easier to remember variation shown earlier:
392 = 402 – 40 – 39 = 1521
592 = 602 – 60 – 59 = 3481
For our given example, we use any of our variations;
39992 = 40002 – 2(4000) + 1 = 16,000,000 – 8,000 + 1 = 15, 992,001
Or 39992 = 40002 – 4000 – 3999 = 15,996,000 – 3,999 = 15, 992,001
Some may prefer to use digit sums to pick the right answer:
We can cast out the three 9s in 3,999 and 32 = 9. The only choice with a repeated digital sum of 9 (or 0 when casting out 9s is used) is letter b.
Exercises: find the square of the following numbers:
- 21
- 91
- 79
- 89
- 101
- 121
- 109
- 199
- 4001
- 7999
Answers to previous exercises: Find the square of the following numbers near 50, 500, etc
- 53 → 25+3 |3^2 = 2809
- 57 → 25+7 |7^2 = 3249
- 63 → 25+13 |13^2 = 3969
- 46 → 25-4 |4^2 = 2116
- 44 → 25-6 |6^2 = 1936
- 36 → 25-14 |14^2 = 1296
- 507 → 250+7 |7^2 = 257,049
- 497 → 250-3 |3^2 = 247,009
- 5021 → 2500 + 21 |21^2 = 25, 210, 441
- 4989 → 2500 – 11 |11^2 = 24, 890, 121