Let n be an integer. If n^2 is odd, then n is odd Proof by contraposition: Suppose that n is even. Then we can write n = 2k n^2 = (2k)^2 = 4k^2 = 2(2k) so it is even So an odd number can't be the square of an even number. So if an odd number is a square it must be the square of an odd number.