PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

In modern times Pythagoras is especially famous for his mathematical formula, called the Pythagorean theorem.

Though modern scholars have attributed the theorem to Pythagoras, scientists have now pointed out that the formula can be found in Babylonian texts written long before Pythagoras lived. There are also references to it in texts from ancient India.

The formula can be used to calculate distances in space, and architects can use it to design buildings. There are many other uses for it, but you’ll agree that it’s an important formula. Here’s how it works. The Pythagorean theorem states: For all right-angle triangles, the square on the longest side (hypotenuse) is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides.

In other words, if a triangle has a right angle (90°), and we put squares on each of the three sides of the triangle, the biggest square’s size will be exactly equal to the size of the two others put together. It can be written out with this formula: a2 + b2 = c2

In this equation, c is the longest side, and a and b are the other two sides.

The triangle’s longest side is called the hypotenuse, aka slanted side.

Here’s how it works: A 3:4:5 triangle contains a right angle.

To test the theory in this example, we fill in the numbers in the equation: 32 + 42 = 52

And calculate: (3x3) + (4x4) = (5x5), i.e. 9 + 16 = 25 See? It works! It’s handy to know, because that means if you know the length of two sides of a rightangle triangle, you can calculate the length of the third side.