text: Sum and difference of powers
  
  The sum and difference of powers are powerful factoring techniques that, respectively, factor a sum or a difference of certain powers.
  
  Sums of Powers
  
  $a^{2n+1}+b^{2n+1}=(a+b)(a^{2n}-a^{2n-1}b+a^{2n-2}b^2-\ldots-ab^{2n-1}+b^{2n})$
  
  Differences of Powers
  
  If $p$ is a positive integer and $x$ and $y$ are real numbers,
  
  $x^{p+1}-y^{p+1}=(x-y)(x^p+x^{p-1}y+\cdots +xy^{p-1}+y^p)$
  
  For example:
  
  $x^2-y^2=(x-y)(x+y)$
  
  $x^3-y^3=(x-y)(x^2+xy+y^2)$
  
  $x^4-y^4=(x-y)(x^3+x^2y+xy^2+y^3)$
  
  Note that the number of terms in the long factor is equal to the exponent in the expression being factored.
  
  An amazing thing happens when $x$ and $y$ differ by $1$, say, $x = y+1$. Then $x-y = 1$ and
  
  $x^{p+1}-y^{p+1}=(y+1)^{p+1}-y^{p+1}$
  
  $=(y+1)^p+(y+1)^{p-1}y+\cdots +(y+1)y^{p-1} +y^p$.
  
  For example:
  
  $(y+1)^2-y^2=(y+1)+y$
  
  $(y+1)^3-y^3=(y+1)^2+(y+1)y+y^2$
  
  $(y+1)^4-y^4=(y+1)^3+(y+1)^2y+(y+1)y^2+y^3$
  
  If we also know that $y\geq 0$ then:
  
  $2y\leq (y+1)^2-y^2\leq 2(y+1)$
  
  $3y^2\leq (y+1)^3-y^3\leq 3(y+1)^2$
  
  $4y^3\leq (y+1)^4-y^4\leq 4(y+1)^3$
  
  $(p+1)y^p\leq (y+1)^{p+1}-y^{p+1}\leq (p+1)(y+1)^p$
  
  Sum of Cubes
  
  $1^3=1^2$
  
  $1^3+2^3 =3^2$
  
  $1^3 +2^3+3^3=6^2$
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