John D. Cook • 6/16/2026

Three examples suffice

This article discusses a mathematical technique where checking three specific points (n=0,1,2) is sufficient to prove an identity between two quadratic polynomials. It uses the relationship between pentagonal numbers and triangular numbers as an example, showing that if two quadratic polynomials agree at three points, they are identical everywhere. The post includes a simple Python code snippet to verify the identity and contrasts this rigorous proof with probabilistic checking. It is relevant to IT/TECHNOLOGY due to its focus on mathematical reasoning and coding verification.

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#Python #testing #Verification