Summation Identity: $\sum_{i=1}^ni^3 = \left( \frac{n(n+1)}{2} \right)^2$ I have to prove:
$$\sum\limits_{i = 1}^n i^3 = \Bigg( \frac{n(n+1)}{2}\Bigg)^2$$
Using the following:
$$n^3 = 6 {n \choose 3} + 6 {n \choose 2} + n \quad \forall n \in \mathbb{N}$$
My work is that first I substitute $n^3$ for $6 {n \choose 3} + 6 {n \choose 2} + n$. Then I go and invoke the sum over that (I am assuming this is how it works). That is,
$$\sum\limits^n_{i=1} \bigg(6 {i \choose 3} + 6 {i \choose 2} + i \bigg)$$
$$6 \sum\limits^n_{i=1} {i \choose 3} + 6 \sum\limits^n_{i=1} {i \choose 2} + \sum\limits^n_{i=1} {i \choose 1}$$
The summation identity is:
$$\sum\limits^n_{i=0} {i \choose k} = {n+1 \choose k+1}$$
invoking it over the sums yields:
$$6{n+1 \choose 4} + 6{n+1 \choose 3} + {n+1 \choose 2}$$
I think these are the right steps, but simplification seems a bit difficult to get the ending result.
 A: Suppose we have arrived at the expression
$$6{n+1 \choose 4} + 6{n+1 \choose 3} + {n+1 \choose 2},$$
and we remain in a combinatorial mood, not an algebraic one. Then we might work a little harder and give a bijective argument.
From a group of $n+1$ boys and $n+1$ girls, we can choose $2$ boys and $2$ girls (a pair of pairs) in 
$$\binom{n+1}{2}^2$$
ways. We will count the number of pairs of pairs in another way. 
Let the boys be called $b_0,b_1,\dots,b_n$, and the girls $g_0, g_1,\dots,g_n$.  If $2$ boys and $2$ girls are chosen they either (a) share no number or (b) share $1$ number or (c) share $2$ numbers.
(a) The pairs of pairs that share no number can be chosen as follows.  Choose $4$ numbers from the set $\{0,1,\dots,n\}$. Then choose $2$ of the $4$ numbers, and select the boys with these $2$ numbers, and the girls with the remaining $2$ numbers. The choosing of $4$ numbers can be done in $\binom{n+1}{4}$ ways, and the choosing of $2$ from $4$ can be done in $\binom{4}{2}=6$ ways, for a total of 
$$6\binom{n+1}{4}.$$
(b) The pairs of pairs that share exactly one number can be chosen as follows. Choose $3$ numbers from $\{0,1,\dots,n\}$.  Choose $1$ of these $3$ numbers to be the "duplicated" number (boy and girl), then select the boy who has $1$ of the remaining numbers, and the girl with the other. The choosing of the $3$ numbers can be done in $\binom{n+1}{3}$ ways. For each of these, we can choose the duplicated number in $3$ ways, and decide which of the remaining numbers will be a boy number in $2$ ways, for a total of 
$$(3)(2)\binom{n+1}{3}.$$
(c) Finally, we count the pairs of pairs that share two numbers. 
 All we need to do is to choose these $2$ numbers, and the rest is determined, so the number of type (c) pairs of pairs is 
$$\binom{n+1}{2}.$$
Add up.
A: It’s just algebra $-$ tedious, but straightforward:
$$\begin{align*}
6\binom{n+1}4&+6\binom{n+1}3+\binom{n+1}2\\
\strut\\
&=\frac{6(n+1)n(n-1)(n-2)}{4!}+\frac{6(n+1)n(n-1)}{3!}+\frac{(n+1)n}2\\
&=n(n+1)\left(\frac{(n-1)(n-2)}{4}+(n-1)+\frac12\right)\\
&=\frac{n(n+1)}4\big((n-1)(n-2)+4(n-1)+2\big)\\
&=\frac{n(n+1)}4\big((n-1)(n+2)+2\big)\\
&=\frac{n(n+1)}4(n^2+n)\\
&=\frac{n^2(n+1)^2}4\\
&=\left(\frac{n(n+1)}2\right)^2
\end{align*}$$
A: Don't stop, just do! =)
$$
\begin{eqnarray*}
&& 6 \binom{n+1}{4} + 6\binom{n+1}{3} + \binom{n+1}{2} 
\\ &=& 6 \frac{(n+1) n (n-1)(n-2)}{24} + 6 \frac{(n+1) n (n-1)}{6} + \frac{(n+1) n}{2}
\\ &=& \frac{n(n+1)}{4} \left( (n-1)(n-2) + 4 (n-1) + 2 \right)
\\ &=& \cdots
\end{eqnarray*}
$$
I presume you can simplify the expression further to get the right hand side. 
