What is the Pythagorean Theorem?
The Pythagorean Theorem is using two sides of a right triangle to find the third side. It was invented by Pythagoras. Find an easy, to the point explanation here.
First of all, a right angle triangle is a triangle with ONE right angle.
There are three sides in a triangle. The side of the right triangle that forms the 90 degree angle is called the leg. There are two legs in one right angle triangle. The side opposite to the right angle is called the hypotenuse. Leg a is also called opposite and leg b can also be called adjacent.
When you square the two legs and add them together it will add up to the hypotenuse squared and you just square root that to find the measurement of the hypotenuse.
Example:
Lets say a= 4cm
b=8cm
- 4 squared= 16cm and 8squared= 64cm
- Add 16cm and 64cm: 16+64= 125cm
- So the hypotenuse is equal to the square root of 125cm. Square root of 125cm is 11.18cm.
That is the Pythagorean Theorem, a little practice and you can easily master it.
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One Response to “What is the Pythagorean Theorem?”
On February 1, 2010 at 6:33 pm
simple and to the point
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