Are All Numbers in This Mathematical Sequence Exact Cubes?

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SUMMARY

The mathematical sequence defined by the terms $\dfrac{107811}{3},\,\dfrac{110778111}{3},\,\dfrac{111077781111}{3},\,\cdots$ consists entirely of exact cubes. The proof provided by members kaliprasad and Opalg confirms that each term can be expressed as the cube of an integer. Their solutions utilize properties of cube numbers and algebraic manipulation to demonstrate the validity of the sequence.

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Prove that all numbers of the sequence $\dfrac{107811}{3},\,\dfrac{110778111}{3},\,\dfrac{111077781111}{3},\,\cdots$ are exact cubes.


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Congratulations to the following members for their correct solutions:

1. kaliprasad
2. Opalg

Solution from kaliprasad:

Let us look at 1st few terms

1st term = $\dfrac{107811}{3} = \dfrac{1 * 10^5 + 77 * 10^2 + 111}{3}$

2nd term = $\dfrac{110778111}{3} = \dfrac{11 * 10^7 + 777 * 10* 3 + 1111}{3}$

3rd term = $\dfrac{111077781111}{3} = \dfrac{111 * 10^9 + 7777 * 10^4 + 11111}{3}$

so

$\begin{align*}\text{nth term}&= \dfrac{(10^n- 1) * 10^{2n+3} + 7 * 10^{n+2} -1)(10^{n+1} + (10^{n+2} - 1)}{3*9}\\&=\dfrac{ (10^n-1) * 1000 * 10^{2n} + 7 *( 100 * 10^n - 1)(10 * 10^n) + (100 * 10^n - 1)}{27}\\&=\dfrac{1000 * 10^{3n} - 1000 * 10^{2n} + 7 *1000 * 10^{2n} - 7 *10 * 10 ^n + 100 * 10^n - 1}{27}\\&=\dfrac{1000 * 10^3n - 300 * 10 ^2n + 30 * 10 ^n -1}{27}\\&=\dfrac{10^{3n+3} - 3 * 10^{2n+2} + 3 * ^10{n+1} -1}{27}\\&=\dfrac{(10^{n+1} - 1)^3}{27} \end{align*}$so nth term = $(\dfrac{10^{n+1} -1}{3})^3$, which is a perfect cube
Solution from Opalg:
The numerator, call it $N_k$, of the general term in this sequence consists of $3k$ digits which we can divide into three groups of $k$ digits. The first group consists of $k-1$ ones followed by a zero; the second group consists of $k-1$ sevens followed by an eight; and the third group consists of $k$ ones:
\[
N_k = \overbrace{11\cdots10}^k \overbrace{77\cdots78}^k \overbrace{11\cdots11}^k.
\]
Let $P_k = \frac13\!\cdot\!10^k(10^k - 1) = \overbrace{33\cdots33}^k \overbrace{00\cdots00}^k$, using the fact that $10^k - 1 = \overbrace{99\cdots99}^k.$ Then
\[
N_k + P_k = \overbrace{11\cdots10}^k \overbrace{77\cdots78}^k \overbrace{11\cdots11}^k + \overbrace{33\cdots33}^k \overbrace{00\cdots00}^k = \overbrace{11\cdots11}^k \overbrace{11\cdots11}^k \overbrace{11\cdots11}^k = \tfrac19(10^{3k} - 1).
\]
Therefore $N_k = \frac19(10^{3k} - 1) - P_k = \frac19(10^{3k} - 1) - \frac13\!\cdot\!10^k(10^k - 1) = \frac19(10^{3k} - 3\!\cdot\!10^{2k} + 3\!\cdot\!10^k - 1) = \frac19(10^k-1)^3.$But $10^k - 1 = 3R_k$, where $R_k = \overbrace{33\cdots33}^k$. It follows that $N_k = 3R_k^3$ and so $N_k/3$ is the cube of $R_k.$
 

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