Skip to main content

Pell and Pell–Lucas Numbers

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Pell and Pell–Lucas Numbers with Applications

Abstract

Like Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, the Pell family is ubiquitous. Pell and Pell–Lucas numbers also provide boundless opportunities to experiment, explore, and conjecture; they are a lot of fun for inquisitive amateurs and professionals alike. In this chapter, we formally introduce the family, and cite their occurrences in earlier chapters, as well as some of their fundamental properties. In Chapter 12, we will find geometric interpretations of both Pell and Pell–Lucas numbers, and in Chapter 16 some combinatorial interpretations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Based on the 1994 William L. Putnam Mathematical Competition, Mathematical Association of America [4] .

  2. 2.

    | M| denotes the determinant of the square matrix M.

References

  1. T. Andreescu and R. Gelca, Mathematical Olympiad Challenges, 2nd edition, Birkhäuser, Boston, MA, 2009.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. K.S. Bhanu and M.N. Deshpande, Problem 92.H, Mathematical Gazette 92 (2008), 356–357.

    Google Scholar 

  3. L. Carlitz, Solution to Problem B-197, Fibonacci Quarterly 9 (1971), 441–442.

    Google Scholar 

  4. M.N. Deshpande, Problem B-1027, Fibonacci Quarterly 45 (2007), 85.

    Google Scholar 

  5. J.L. Díaz-Barrero, Problem B-1029, Fibonacci Quarterly 45 (2007), 86.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. Fecke, Problem H-215, Fibonacci Quarterly 11 (1973), 184.

    Google Scholar 

  7. H.T. Freitag, Problem B-719, Fibonacci Quarterly 30 (1992), 275.

    Google Scholar 

  8. H.W. Gould, Solution to Problem 521, Mathematics Magazine 37 (1964), 61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. T. Koshy, Elementary Number Theory with Applications, Academic Press, 2nd edition, Burlington, MA, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  10. P. Mana, Problem B-197, Fibonacci Quarterly 8 (1970), 542.

    Google Scholar 

  11. W.L. McDaniel, Triangular Numbers in the Pell Sequence, Fibonacci Quarterly 34 (1996), 105–107.

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. L. Moser, Problem 521, Mathematics Magazine 36 (1963), 198.

    Google Scholar 

  13. V.S.R. Prasad and B.S. Rao, Pentagonal Numbers in the Associated Pell Sequence and Diophantine Equations x 2(3x − 1)2 = 8y 2 ± 4, Fibonacci Quarterly 39 (2001), 299–303.

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. V.S.R. Prasad and B.S. Rao, Pentagonal Numbers in the Pell Sequence and Diophantine Equations 2x 2 = y 2(3y − 1)2 ± 2, Fibonacci Quarterly 40 (2002), 233–241.

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. B.S. Rao, Heptagonal Numbers in the Pell Sequence and Diophantine Equations 2x 2 = y 2(5y − 3)2 ± 2, Fibonacci quarterly 43 (2005), 194–201.

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. R.A. Reznick, Problem E3209, American Mathematical Monthly, 94 (1987), 457.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. H.-E. Seiffert, Solution to Problem B-819, Fibonacci Quarterly 35 (1997), 282.

    Google Scholar 

  18. H.-E. Seiffert, Solution to Problem B-1027, Fibonacci Quarterly 45 (2007), 281.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Students of the 1987 Mathematical Olympiad Program, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, Solution to Problem E3209, American Mathematical Monthly, 96 (1989), 261–262.

    Google Scholar 

  20. M. Wachtel, Problem B-648, Fibonacci Quarterly 27 (1989), 373.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Z. Zaiming, Problem 502, College Mathematics Journal 24 (1993), 271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. D. Zeitlin, Problem B-819, Fibonacci Quarterly 34 (1996), 374.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Koshy, T. (2014). Pell and Pell–Lucas Numbers. In: Pell and Pell–Lucas Numbers with Applications. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8489-9_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics