Can the sum of two odd numbers be odd?

No, the sum of two odd numbers is always even.

Here's why:

Any odd number can be represented as 2n + 1, where n is an integer. Let's consider two odd numbers:

• Odd number 1: 2a + 1 (where 'a' is an integer)
• Odd number 2: 2b + 1 (where 'b' is an integer)

Now, let's add them together:

(2a + 1) + (2b + 1) = 2a + 2b + 2 = 2(a + b + 1)

Since the result, 2(a + b + 1), is a multiple of 2, it is, by definition, an even number.

Examples:

• 3 + 5 = 8 (Odd + Odd = Even)
• 11 + 7 = 18 (Odd + Odd = Even)
• 1 + 1 = 2 (Odd + Odd = Even)

Summary: The sum of any two odd numbers will invariably result in an even number.