Finding the Hypotenuse

a
!
+ b
!
= c
!
1) A=28 B=21 C=? 28
!
+ 21
!
= C
!
784+ 441 = 1225. The square root of 1225 is 35.
2) A=5 B=7 C=? 5
!
+ 7
!
= C
!
25+ 49=74. The square root of 74 is 8.6
3) A=13 B=13 C=? 13
!
+ 13
!
= C
!
169+169= 338. The square root of 338 is 18.38.
4) A= 17 B = 17 C=?
289+ 289 = 578. The square root of 578 is 24.04.
Who Was Pythagoras?
Pythagoras was a Greek mathematician born in
569 BC on an island off Greece. He was interested
in music, philosophy, and religion. Pythagoras made
great contributions toward geometry and had
interesting theories about astronomy. Among other
things, he (or one of his pupils) invented the
pythagorean theorem. They discovered that when
the two short sides of a triangle are squared, they
equal the third side of the triangle squared. The
theorem is still widely used today.
What is the Pythagorean Theorem?
The Pythagorean Theorem is an equation used to
nd one of the sides of a right triangle (usually the
hypotenuse [longest side]). The hypotenuse is
always opposite the right angle. The hypotenuse is
also always C in the equation: A
!
+ B
!
= C
!
This
equation only works if you know the other sides of
the triangle but don't know the hypotenuse. If you
know the hypotenuse and one leg of the triangle
then you can always manipulate the theorem (like
C
!
- B
!
= A
!
) This is called the converse operation.
The pythagorean theorem is used throughout the
world and is very helpful to daily life.
Douglass, Charlene. "Biography of Pythagoras - Math
Word Denition - Math Open Reference." Biography of
Pythagoras - Math Word Denition - Math Open Reference.
Math Open Reference, 2005. Web. 14 Dec. 2013.
Finding the Missing leg
1) A=48 B=? and C=60
C
!
- A
!
= B
!
60
!
- 48
!
= B
!
3600 - 2304 = 1296
The square root of 1296 is 36 = B
2) A=? B=38 C= 45
C
!
- B
!
= A
!
45
!
- 38
!
= a
!
2025 - 1444 = 581
The square root of 581 is 24.1 = A
3) A= 15 B =? C=25
C
!
- A
!
= B
!
25
!
- 15
!
= B
!
625- 225 = 400
The square root of 400 is 20 = B
A=? B=72 C=78
C
!
- B
!
=A
!
78
!
- 72
!
= A
!
6084- 5184 = 900
The square root of 900 is 30 = A
Fried, Grace Friday, May 30, 2014 12:56:51 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:fb:53
PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
A
!
+ B
!
=C
!
Word problems
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
is It a Right Triangle?
1) 12, 15, 20
12
! #
15
! $
20
!
144+ 225= 369 The square root
of 369 is 19.2, not 20. This is NOT a right
triangle because A
!
+ B
!
does not equal C
!
2) 18, 24, 30
18
!
+24
!
=30
!
324+ 576 = 900. The square root
of 900 is 30. This IS a right triangle because
A
!
+B
!
=C
!
3) 20, 21, 29
20
!
+21
!
=29
!
. 400+441=841. The square root of
841 is 29. This IS a right triangle because
A
!
+B
!
=C
!
4) 2.1, 2.8, 3.5
2.1
!
+ 2.8
!
= 3.5
!
4.41 + 7.84= 12.25 The square
root of 12.25 is 3.5. This IS a right triangle
because A
!
+B
!
=C
!
By Grace Fried
Fried, Grace Friday, May 30, 2014 12:56:51 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:fb:53