A Mean Value Property in Powers of the Natural Square

Abstract

Let $n\ge 1$ be an odd integer, set $m=(n-1)/2$ and let $M$ be an $n\times n$ matrix whose coefficients are of the form $M_{i,j}=aij+bi+cj+d$ where $0\le i,j\le n-1$. Then we prove that for all squares centered at the central coefficient $M_{m,m}$, the mean value of the square equals $M_{m,m}$.

Accepted for publication in Elemente der Mathematik