Check if a number can be expressed as sum of two Perfect powers

Namachila November 18, 2025

0 0 6 minutes read

Given a positive number N, the task is to check whether the given number N can be expressed in the form of a^x + b^ywhere x and y > 1 and a and b > 0. If N can be expressed in the given form then print true otherwise print false.

Examples:

Input: N = 5
Output: true
Explanation:
5 can be expressed as 2²+1²

Input: N = 15
Output: false

Approach: The idea is to use the concept of perfect powers to determine whether the sum exists or not. Below are the steps:

Create an array(say perfectPower[]) to store the numbers which are a perfect power or not.
Now the array perfectPower[] store all the elements which are perfect power, therefore we generate all possible pair sum of all the elements in this array.
Keep the mark of the sum calculated in the above step in an array isSum[] as it can be expressed in the form of a^x + b^y.
After the above steps if isSum[N] is true then print true otherwise print false.

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

C++

// C++ program for the above approach
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Function that returns true if n
// can be written as a^m+b^n
bool isSumOfPower(int n)
{
    // Taking isSum boolean array
    // for check the sum exist or not
    bool isSum[n + 1];
 
    // To store perfect squares
    vector<int> perfectPowers;
 
    perfectPowers.push_back(1);
 
    for (int i = 0; i < (n + 1); i++) {
 
        // Initially all sums as false
        isSum[i] = false;
    }
 
    for (long long int i = 2;
         i < (n + 1); i++) {
 
        if (isSum[i] == true) {
 
            // If sum exist then push
            // that sum into perfect
            // square vector
            perfectPowers.push_back(i);
            continue;
        }
 
        for (long long int j = i * i;
             j > 0 && j < (n + 1);
             j *= i) {
            isSum[j] = true;
        }
    }
 
    // Mark all perfect powers as false
    for (int i = 0;
         i < perfectPowers.size(); i++) {
        isSum[perfectPowers[i]] = false;
    }
 
    // Traverse each perfectPowers
    for (int i = 0;
         i < perfectPowers.size(); i++) {
 
        for (int j = i;
             j < perfectPowers.size(); j++) {
 
            // Calculating Sum with
            // perfect powers array
            int sum = perfectPowers[i]
                      + perfectPowers[j];
 
            if (sum < (n + 1))
                isSum[sum] = true;
        }
    }
    return isSum[n];
}
 
// Driver Code
int main()
{
    // Given Number n
    int n = 9;
 
    // Function Call
    if (isSumOfPower(n)) {
        cout << "true\n";
    }
    else {
        cout << "false\n";
    }
}

Java

// Java program for the above approach
import java.util.*;
 
class GFG{
 
// Function that returns true if n
// can be written as a^m+b^n
static boolean isSumOfPower(int n)
{
     
    // Taking isSum boolean array
    // for check the sum exist or not
    boolean []isSum = new boolean[n + 1];
 
    // To store perfect squares
    Vector<Integer> perfectPowers = new Vector<Integer>();
 
    perfectPowers.add(1);
 
    for(int i = 0; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
         
        // Initially all sums as false
        isSum[i] = false;
    }
 
    for(int i = 2; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
        if (isSum[i] == true)
        {
             
            // If sum exist then push
            // that sum into perfect
            // square vector
            perfectPowers.add(i);
            continue;
        }
 
        for(int j = i * i; 
                j > 0 && j < (n + 1); 
                j *= i)
        {
            isSum[j] = true;
        }
    }
 
    // Mark all perfect powers as false
    for(int i = 0;
            i < perfectPowers.size(); 
            i++)
    {
        isSum[perfectPowers.get(i)] = false;
    }
 
    // Traverse each perfectPowers
    for(int i = 0; 
            i < perfectPowers.size();
            i++) 
    {
        for(int j = i; 
                j < perfectPowers.size(); 
                j++)
        {
             
            // Calculating Sum with
            // perfect powers array
            int sum = perfectPowers.get(i) + 
                      perfectPowers.get(j);
 
            if (sum < (n + 1))
                isSum[sum] = true;
        }
    }
    return isSum[n];
}
 
// Driver Code
public static void main(String[] args)
{
     
    // Given number n
    int n = 9;
 
    // Function call
    if (isSumOfPower(n))
    {
        System.out.print("true\n");
    }
    else
    {
        System.out.print("false\n");
    }
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by amal kumar choubey

Python3

# Python3 program for the above approach
 
# Function that returns true if n
# can be written as a^m+b^n
def isSumOfPower(n):
     
    # Taking isSum boolean array
    # for check the sum exist or not
    isSum = [0] * (n + 1)
 
    # To store perfect squares
    perfectPowers = []
 
    perfectPowers.append(1)
 
    for i in range(n + 1):
 
        # Initially all sums as false
        isSum[i] = False
     
    for i in range(2, n + 1):
        if (isSum[i] == True):
 
            # If sum exist then push
            # that sum into perfect
            # square vector
            perfectPowers.append(i)
            continue
         
        j = i * i
        while(j > 0 and j < (n + 1)):
            isSum[j] = True
            j *= i
         
    # Mark all perfect powers as false
    for i in range(len(perfectPowers)):
        isSum[perfectPowers[i]] = False
     
    # Traverse each perfectPowers
    for i in range(len(perfectPowers)):
        for j in range(len(perfectPowers)):
 
            # Calculating Sum with
            # perfect powers array
            sum = (perfectPowers[i] +
                   perfectPowers[j])
 
            if (sum < (n + 1)):
                isSum[sum] = True
         
    return isSum[n]
 
# Driver Code
 
# Given Number n
n = 9
 
# Function call
if (isSumOfPower(n)):
    print("true")
else:
    print("false")
 
# This code is contributed by sanjoy_62

C#

// C# program for the above approach
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
 
class GFG{
 
// Function that returns true if n
// can be written as a^m+b^n
static bool isSumOfPower(int n)
{
     
    // Taking isSum bool array
    // for check the sum exist or not
    bool []isSum = new bool[n + 1];
 
    // To store perfect squares
    List<int> perfectPowers = new List<int>();
 
    perfectPowers.Add(1);
 
    for(int i = 0; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
         
        // Initially all sums as false
        isSum[i] = false;
    }
 
    for(int i = 2; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
        if (isSum[i] == true)
        {
             
            // If sum exist then push
            // that sum into perfect
            // square vector
            perfectPowers.Add(i);
            continue;
        }
 
        for(int j = i * i; 
                j > 0 && j < (n + 1); 
                j *= i)
        {
            isSum[j] = true;
        }
    }
 
    // Mark all perfect powers as false
    for(int i = 0;
            i < perfectPowers.Count; 
            i++)
    {
        isSum[perfectPowers[i]] = false;
    }
 
    // Traverse each perfectPowers
    for(int i = 0; 
            i < perfectPowers.Count;
            i++) 
    {
        for(int j = i; 
                j < perfectPowers.Count; 
                j++)
        {
             
            // Calculating Sum with
            // perfect powers array
            int sum = perfectPowers[i] + 
                      perfectPowers[j];
 
            if (sum < (n + 1))
                isSum[sum] = true;
        }
    }
    return isSum[n];
}
 
// Driver Code
public static void Main(String[] args)
{
     
    // Given number n
    int n = 9;
 
    // Function call
    if (isSumOfPower(n))
    {
        Console.Write("true\n");
    }
    else
    {
        Console.Write("false\n");
    }
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by amal kumar choubey

Javascript

<script>
 
// JavaScript  program to implement
// the above approach
 
// Function that returns true if n
// can be written as a^m+b^n
function isSumOfPower(n)
{
       
    // Taking isSum boolean array
    // for check the sum exist or not
    let isSum = Array(n+1).fill(0);
   
    // To store perfect squares
    let perfectPowers = [];
   
    perfectPowers.push(1);
   
    for(let i = 0; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
           
        // Initially all sums as false
        isSum[i] = false;
    }
   
    for(let i = 2; i < (n + 1); i++)
    {
        if (isSum[i] == true)
        {
               
            // If sum exist then push
            // that sum into perfect
            // square vector
            perfectPowers.push(i);
            continue;
        }
   
        for(let j = i * i; 
                j > 0 && j < (n + 1); 
                j *= i)
        {
            isSum[j] = true;
        }
    }
   
    // Mark all perfect powers as false
    for(let i = 0;
            i < perfectPowers.length; 
            i++)
    {
        isSum[perfectPowers[i]] = false;
    }
   
    // Traverse each perfectPowers
    for(let i = 0; 
            i < perfectPowers.length;
            i++) 
    {
        for(let j = i; 
                j < perfectPowers.length; 
                j++)
        {
               
            // Calculating Sum with
            // perfect powers array
            let sum = perfectPowers[i] + 
                      perfectPowers[j];
   
            if (sum < (n + 1))
                isSum[sum] = true;
        }
    }
    return isSum[n];
}
 
// Driver Code
 
    // Given number n
    let n = 9;
   
    // Function call
    if (isSumOfPower(n))
    {
        document.write("true\n");
    }
    else
    {
        document.write("false\n");
    }
 
</script>

Output:

true

Time Complexity: O(N)
Auxiliary Space: O(N)

Feeling lost in the world of random DSA topics, wasting time without progress? It’s time for a change! Join our DSA course, where we’ll guide you on an exciting journey to master DSA efficiently and on schedule.
Ready to dive in? Explore our Free Demo Content and join our DSA course, trusted by over 100,000 zambiatek!