Euler's Four-Square Identity

Revision as of 20:17, 5 May 2019 by Lilcritters (talk | contribs) (Proof)

Identity

The Four-Square Identity, credited to Leonhard Euler, states that for any eight complex numbers $x_1,x_2, x_3, x_4, y_1, y_2, y_3, y_4$, we must have \[(x_1^2+ x_2^2 + x_3 ^2 + x_4^2)(y_1^2+y_2^2+y_3^2+y_4^2)\] \[=(x_1y_1+x_2y_2+x_3y_3+x_4y_4)^2\] \[+(x_1y_2-x_2y_1+x_3y_4-x_4y_3)^2\] \[+(x_1y_3-x_3y_1+x_4y_2-x_2y_4)^2\] \[+(x_1y_4-x_4y_1 + x_2y_3 - x_3y_2)^2.\] In other words, the product of the sums of four squares is itself the sum of four squares.