Securing n Sheets with Thumbtacks: Can You Prove My Conjecture?”

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the conjecture regarding the minimum number of thumbtacks required to secure n sheets of paper on an infinite bulletin board. It is established that one sheet requires 4 thumbtacks, while two sheets require 6, and three sheets require 8, indicating a pattern where the number of thumbtacks increases by 2 for each additional sheet. The conjecture suggests a formula for the number of thumbtacks needed for n sheets, although the proof of this formula remains unverified. Participants are encouraged to explore mathematical proofs to validate the conjecture.

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mrtwhs
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You have an infinite supply of square sheets of paper. You are going to secure these sheets on an infinitely large bulletin board by using thumbtacks. You must secure all four corners of each sheet however you may slightly overlap the sheets so that one thumbtack could secure up to four sheets at once. Under these assumptions, one sheet requires 4 tacks, 2 sheets require 6 tacks, 3 sheets require 8 tacks, etc.

What is the minimum number of thumbtacks needed to secure $$n$$ sheets?

I have a conjecture for a formula but have no clue how to prove it.
 
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Here is my conjecture for the number of thumbtacks needed for $$n$$ sheets of paper.

$$T(n) = \lceil(1+\sqrt{n})^2 \rceil$$ where the upper brackets represent the ceiling function.
 

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