Compute $1^2 + 3^2+ 5^2 + \cdots + (2n-1)^2$ by mathematical induction

NOTE: I am not saying anything different, before someone start commenting that my answer is not any different.

$$ \begin{align*} 1^2 + 3^2 + 5^2 + \cdots + (2k+1)^2 &= 1^2+3^2+5^2+\cdots + (2k+1)^2\\ &= 1^2 + 3^2 + 5^2 + \cdots + (2k-1)^2 + (2k+1)^2\\ &= \frac{1}{3}k(2k-1)(2k+1) + (2k+1)^2\\ &=\frac{k(2k-1)(2k+1)+3(2k+1)^2}{3}\\ &=\frac{(2k+1)}{3}\left[k(2k-1) + 3(2k+1)\right]\\ &=\frac{(2k+1)}{3}\left[2k^2 - k + 6k + 3\right]\\ &=\frac{1}{3}(2k+1)(2k^2 +5k + 3)\\ &=\frac{1}{3}(2k+1) \hspace{3pt}\left[(k+1)(2k+3)\right] \\ &= \frac{1}{3} (k+1)(2(k+1)-1)(2(k+1)+1) \end{align*} $$

The last line shows that the result is true for $n=k+1$


Everything is OK except for the very last line. You somehow lost a factor of two. The penultimate line is already the result you want, since $2k^2+5k+3=(k+1)(2k+3)$.