Cassini's identity for k-bonacci numbers

Abstract

Efforts have been made to extend Cassini's identity (also known as Simson's identity) to the k-step or k-bonacci numbers for decades. These efforts have lacked both completeness of result and simplicity of proof, and this question remains open and relevant. In this note, we offer a definitive solution as well as the generalization of both Catalan's and Vajda's identities.