Base Case: plug in n = 1 (the smallest positive integer)
If n = 1, then 3n-2 = 3*1-2 = 1. Square this and we see that (3n-2)^2 = 1^2 = 1
On the right hand side, plugging in n = 1 leads to...
n*(6n^2-3n-1)/2 = 1*(6*1^2-3*1-1)/2 = 1
Both sides are 1. So that confirms the base case.
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Inductive Step: Assume that
1^2 + 4^2 + 7^2 + ... + (3k-2)^2 = k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2
is a true statement for some positive integer k. If we can show the statement leads to the (k+1)th case being true as well, then we will have sufficiently proven the overall statement to be true by induction.
1^2 + 4^2 + 7^2 + ... + (3k-2)^2 = k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2
1^2 + 4^2 + 7^2 + ... + (3k-2)^2 + (3(k+1)-2)^2 = (k+1)*(6(k+1)^2-3(k+1)-1)/2
k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2 + (3(k+1)-2)^2 = (k+1)*(6(k^2+2k+1)-3(k+1)-1)/2
k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2 + (3k+3-2)^2 = (k+1)*(6k^2+12k+6-3k-3-1)/2
k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2 + (3k+1)^2 = (k+1)*(6k^2+9k+2)/2
k*(6k^2-3k-1)/2 + 9k^2+6k+1 = (k+1)*(6k^2+9k+2)/2
(6k^3-3k^2-k)/2 + 2(9k^2+6k+1)/2 = (k*(6k^2+9k+2)+1(6k^2+9k+2))/2
(6k^3-3k^2-k + 2(9k^2+6k+1))/2 = (6k^3+9k^2+2k+6k^2+9k+2)/2
(6k^3-3k^2-k + 18k^2+12k+2)/2 = (6k^3+9k^2+2k+6k^2+9k+2)/2
(6k^3+15k^2+11k+2)/2 = (6k^3+15k^2+11k+2)/2
Both sides simplify to the same expression, so that proves the (k+1)th case immediately follows from the kth case
That wraps up the inductive step. The full induction proof is done at this point.
