<s>[INST] Simple algebra formula for which I can't find the right answer I have the formula $y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z + 1) \cdot (z + 2)$, and I should work to $y = \frac{1}{2}\cdot z \cdot (z + 1)$.
Somebody showed me how it's done:
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z + 1) \cdot (z + 2)$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot ((z + 1) \cdot (z + 2))$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z^2 + 3z + 2)$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + \frac{1}{2}(3z) + \frac{1}{2}(2)$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + 1\frac{1}{2}z + 1$
$y = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + 1\frac{1}{2}z + 1$ - z - 1
$y = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + \frac{1}{2}z$
$y = \frac{1}{2}z(z + 1)$
Great! But, my try went completely wrong, and I don't understand what I'm doing wrong:
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z + 1) \cdot (z + 2)$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot ((z + 1) \cdot (z + 2))$
$y + (z + 1) = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z^2 + 3z + 2)$
$y = \frac{1}{2} \cdot z^2 + 3z + 2 - z - 1$
$y = \frac{1}{2} \cdot z^2 + 2z + 1$
$y = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (z^2 + 2z + 1)$
$y = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + \frac{1}{2}(2z) + \frac{1}{2}1$
$y = \frac{1}{2}(z^2) + z + \frac{1}{2}$
But from this last step, I can't get anywhere near $y = \frac{1}{2}z(z + 1)$, and I do not understand what I did wrong.
 [/INST] In your step 4, you forgot to divide (3z+2) by 2
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