Finding all squared integers expressible as the sum of consecutive squared integers using generalized Pell equation solutions with Chebyshev polynomials

Abstract

Square roots $s$ of sums of $M$ consecutive integer squares starting from $a^{2}\geq1$ are integers if $M\equiv0,9,24$ or $33(mod\,72)$; or $M\equiv1,2$ or $16(mod\,24)$; or $M\equiv11(mod\,12)$ and cannot be integers if $M\equiv3,5,6,7,8$ or $10(mod\,12)$. Finding all solutions with $s$ integer requires to solve a Diophantine quadratic equation in variables $a$ and $s$ with $M$ as a parameter. If $M$ is not a square integer, the Diophantine quadratic equation in variables $a$ and $s$ is transformed into a generalized Pell equation whose form depends on the $M(mod\,4)$ congruent value, and whose solutions, if existing, yield all the solutions in $a$ and $s$ for a given value of $M$. Depending on whether this generalized Pell equation admits one or several fundamental solution(s), there are one or several infinite branches of solutions in $a$ and $s$ that can be written simply in function of Chebyshev polynomials evaluated at the fundamental solutions of the related simple Pell equation. If $M$ is a square integer, it is known that $M\equiv1(mod\,24)$ and $M=(6n-1)^{2}$ for all integers $n$; then the Diophantine quadratic equation in variables $a$ and $s$ reduces to a simple difference of integer squares which yields a finite number of solutions in $a$ and $s$ to the initial problem.