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PYTHAGORAS THEOREM THEOREM

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE By the end of this chapter you will be able to: identify right-angled triangles distinguish between the hypotenuse and the two shorter sides geometrically derive Pythagoras' Theorem find the length of the hypotenuse find the length of the shorter side solve problems using Pythagoras' Theorem find Pythagorean Triads.

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Investigating right triangles

Ancient people worked with right-angled triangles well before Pythagoras. For example, the Egyptians and Chinese knew about the {3, 4, 5} triangles with their rope stretches.

Right-angled triangles are used in geometrical shapes, architecture, surveying, and so on. You can find them almost everywhere if you look carefully!

GETTING STARTED
In our investigations, we will need a protractor or set square, or a compass. 1.
A C O

Construct a circle with centre O and radius 3 cm. Draw the vertical line through O. Let the line intersect the circle at the points, A and B. Now, using your protractor, construct the line through the point O, which is perpendicular to D AB. Let this line intersect the circle at the points, C and D. With your protractor, now measure the size of the angles, AOD, AOC, COB, BOD. Were they all 90? Can you give a geometrical reason why this is the case? We have divided the circle into 4 equal sections (areas) called quadrants. You can find this shape on compasses, the wheel of a boat, the steering wheel of some cars, and so on.

2.

Egyptian Rope Triangle Method The Egyptian rope stretchers had rope with knots tied in them at equal intervals. For our purposes, we could use 3 strings of length: 30 cm, 40 cm and 50 cm, (with 10 cm markings along each string). Now, form a triangle using these 3 strings. Check that it has a right angle. Is the longest side opposite the right angle? (a) You can check whether the whiteboard (blackboard) has right-angled corners. Place the 30 cm piece of string along the horizontal and the 40 cm piece of string along the vertical of the corner and see whether the 50 cm piece of string fits exactly to form the triangle. (b) You might like to use the same method to check whether your desk has square corners. How many right angles are there in your classroom? (a) On the walls? (b) On your desk?
Remember that a scalene triangle has 3 different angles and sides and an isosceles has two sides equal and two base angles equal.

3.

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4.

Which of the following triangles are scalene, equilateral, isosceles or right-angled triangles? (a) (b) (c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

Is there a triangle that is both isosceles and right angled? 5. 6. Is it possible for an equilateral triangle to have one angle right-angled? Give a geometric reason.
B

How many right angles are there in this diagram?

D B

7.
A

Construct a semicircle with radius 4 cm. Choose any three points, A, B, C, on the semicircle and join the intervals from these points to both X and Y.
C

Measure the XAY, XBY and XCY. What geometric result can you observe?

4 cm Y

8.

Measure the lengths of the sides of the following triangles to the nearest mm and complete the table.
a b c a2 b2 c2 a 2 + b2

(a)
a c

(b)
a b

(c)

a b

(d)
b a c

(e)
c b

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9. Which of the triangles in the previous question does c2 = a2 + b2? What type of triangles are they? 10. Using your protractor and ruler, construct the following right-angled triangles and find c, the longest side. (a)
c 3 cm

(b)
24 mm c

(c)

8 cm 6 cm

(d)

c
10 mm 24 mm

c 4 cm 32 mm

Using this data, does c2 = a2 + b2? (Do the sum of squares on the 2 smaller sides equal the square on the longest side?) Our investigation has led us to discover an important relationship between the 3 sides of a right-angled triangle. It is known as Pythagoras Theorem.

Pythagoras Theorem (rule)

We note that 32 + 42 = 52.

c a b

Pythagoras Theorem In any right-angled triangle, the square on the longest side (hypotenuse) is equal to the sum of the squares of the two smaller sides. For the triangle shown, c2 = a2 + b2. Conversely, if a triangle obeys this equation, then it must be a right-angled triangle. The longest side is opposite the right angle. Note: c a + b and that c must be the longest side. Also note: c2 (a + b)2. If it is a right-angled triangle and a or b is the longest side, then we can rewrite Pythagoras Theorem as: or b2 = c2 + a2 a2 = b2 + c2 There are many proofs for Pythagoras Theorem. Do a search on the Internet for Pythagoras. There are some websites that list over 30 proofs for Pythagoras!

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Extension
Here are two geometric proofs. 1. b a b
b a c c a

c c
a

From I : (a + b)2 = c 2 + 4( 1 ab) 2 = c 2 + 2ab From II :(a + b)2 = b 2 + a 2 + ab + ab = a 2 + b 2 + 2ab 2 c = a2 + b 2

2.
b

a
c

c b

A proof by a former US President James Garfield (1876) using a trapezium. = 2. 1 ab + 1 c 2 = 2ab + c 2 = c2 = ab + 1 c 2 2

2 2

Area of trapezium
1 ( a + b) ( a + b ) 2 1 2 (a + 2ab + b2 ) 2

= area of two triangles and half a square

I like jigsaw puzzles!

a2 + 2ab + b2 a2 + b2

See the CD-ROM for a third proof of Pythagoras.

4.01

CALCULATING THE HYPOTENUSE

B

When working with right-angled triangles, we need to identify and calculate the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side).

Look, a hippo!

Example 1 Which of the following is the correct statement? (a)

5 4 3

(A) 32 + 52 = 42 (C) 3 + 4 = 5

(B) 32+ 42 = 52 (D) (3 + 4)2 = 52

(b)
2

(A) 22 + x2 = 22

(B) x2 + 22 = 22 (D) 2 + 2 = x

(C) 22 + 22 = x2

Solution

(b) 22 + 22 = x2 (C) (a) 32 + 42 = 52 (B) We suggest that you find the hypotenuse first. Note that c (or the last pronumeral) is not always the longest side for all right-angled triangles.

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Example 2 What is Pythagoras Theorem for the following triangles? (a)

10 8 D
2 2

(b)

The hypotenuse is opposite the right angle.

F 6

10 = 6 + 8 (c)
a

DF2 = DE2 + EF2

L

(d)
M b c N

LM2 = MN2 + LN2 b2 = a2 + c2 Example 3 Calculate the length of the hypotenuse for each of the following. (a)
12 5

(b)
m 4 6

Solution

y2 = 122 + 52 = 144 + 25 = 169 y = 169

m2 = 42 + 62 = 16 + 36 = 52 m = 52

The opposite of squaring is taking the square root of both sides. y = 13 m = 7.2 (Correct to 1 d.p.) Note that numbers like 52 are called surds.

4.01
1. For the following, choose the correct statement. (a) (b) B
a C A c b

(A) (B) (C) (D)

AB2 = BC2 + AC2 AC2 = AB2 + BC2 BC2 = AB2 + AC2 AC = AB + BC

(A) (B) (C) (D)

c2 = a2 + b2 b2 = a2 + c2 c=a+b b=a+c

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(c)
k

(d)
d l e f

(A) (B) (C) (D) 2.

k2 = m2 + l2 m2 = l2 + k2 l2 = m2 + k2 (k + m)2 = l2

(A) (B) (C) (D)

d2 = e2 + f2 d = e+ f e2 = d2 + f2 e2 = (d + f)2

Write an equation for Pythagoras Theorem to find the hypotenuse (do not solve for x). (a) (b)
x 5 cm 12 cm x

3 cm

8 cm x

(c)
2 cm

(d)
2 cm

8 15 x

3.

Find the exact length of the hypotenuse in each of the following. (a) (b) 12m
5m x 8 cm

(c)

24 m 7 cm

6 cm

(d)

(e)
24 m 48 m 10 m 14 m x

(f)

9m 12 m x

4.

Find the length of the hypotenuse in each of the following. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) (c) 1 b
4 4 5 c

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(d)
2

4 d

(e)

(f)

8 10

12

5.

Find the length of the diagonals in these rectangles and squares. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 4m
6m 10 m 12 m

(c)
5m

(d)
4m

5m

6.

These are 2 step problems. To find the value of the pronumeral, you may need to firstly find another side before using Pythagoras Theorem. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 8 cm
a 13 cm

6 cm

3 cm

2 cm

5 cm

(c)
10 cm

(d)
3 cm 5 cm

4 cm y

10 cm

7 cm

7.

Find the length of the interval AB in each of the following. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) y y A B

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(c)

y A

(d) y
3

B (4,3)

A O B y 3 x

(e)
A (-2,3)

(f) y
B (4,5)

A (1,1)
-2

B x

You will need to construct a right triangle in order to find the length of AB. 8. Applying Pythagoras Theorem For the following problems, draw large, clear triangles to represent the data given. Answer correct to one d.p. (a) The foot of a ladder is 1.5 m from a vertical wall. If the ladder reaches 4 m up the wall, find the length of the ladder.

Wall 4m 1.5 m

(b) A ship sails due east of Port Macquarie for 10 km and then due south for 12 km. How far is the ship from its starting point? (c) A rectangular fence on a farm has dimensions 4.6 m by 2 m. If we install a diagonal brace to the fence to give it more support, how long would the diagonal be? (d) In a right-angled isosceles triangle, the adjacent smaller sides are 8 cm. Find the hypotenuse. (e) Two roads intersect at right angles. Both Leila and Ruth left at the same time. Leila travelled by car for 25 km in an easterly direction, while Ruth cycled for 10 km in a northerly direction. How far apart are they?

Extension
9. We know, according to Pythagoras, that if a2 + b2 = c2, then the triangle must be right-angled. But what kind of triangle do we get if (a) a2 + b2 < c2? (b) a2 + b2 > c2? Investigate.

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INVESTIGATION
Pythagoras and his school (569475 BC)
We know very little about Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician who founded a famous religious /scientific society at Kroton in southern Italy. We do know that he learnt his geometry in Egypt and studied under the great thinkers, Thales and Anaximander. The Pythagorean School believed that all physical relationships were related to numbers. They were into music and astronomy as well as mathematics. They noticed that vibrating strings produced harmonious tones when the ratios of the lengths of the strings were whole numbers and that these ratios could be extended to other instruments. They knew about the Golden Ratio and applied it to building and painting because they looked just right, i.e. the length of the rectangle is about 1.6 times the length of the width. It has nice proportions! There is an excellent PowerPoint presentation on Pythagoras and music produced by James Taylor and published by MANSW. Music and philosophy have been connected to mathematics over the centuries and were studied at university under the subject heading, Natural Philosophy. (Philosophy is about clear thinking, reasoning and a search for truth.) They studied the theory of numbers, e.g., even and odd numbers, triangular numbers and perfect numbers. They also noted that each number has its own personality! And that 10 was the very best number since it formed a perfect triangle, i.e. if we sum the numbers 1 to 4 we get 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10. The Pythagorean a2 + b2 = c2 result was known at least 1000 years earlier by the Babylonians and the Egyptians but Pythagoras may have been the first one to prove it mathematically. A formal geometric proof can also be found in Euclids Elements. Pythagoras observed that c2 was not merely a number, but a geometric shape of a square. He could cut up the two smaller squares and then reassemble them to form a large square. See the third geometric proof which uses a jigsaw method. A square number (e.g. 1, 4, 9, 16, etc) was seen as an area. A cubic number X (e.g. 1, 8, 27, etc) was seen as a solid cube. The Pythagorean School had a very geometric view of numbers. B C A D They could also construct the first 3 (of the 5) regular platonic solids. See the Year 7 chapter on polyhedrons). Unlike Aristotle and other Greek mathematicians, the Pythagorean School believed that the Earth was a sphere (and not flat) and, that it was at the centre of the Universe! They also noted that the orbit of the Moon was inclined to the Earths equator and, Y Z they were first to realise that Venus, the evening star, was the same planet as Venus, the morning star. The Pythagoreans were members of a society and they used the pentagram as their secret symbol. A pentagram can be constructed by joining the vertices of a pentagon. 1. 2. Measure each of these lengths: (a) AD (b) AB Use a calculator to find the following ratios: (a) 3. 4. AD AC (b) AC AB (c) AB BC (c) AC (d) BC

What did you discover with these ratios? There are other golden ratios in a pentagram. Can you find them?

Find out more about Pythagoras by visiting the Science Press website. (www.sciencepress.com.au) Visit Jim Morleys Interactive Proof. (http://www.sunsite.ubc.ca/LivingMathematics/V001N01/UBCExamples/Pythagoras/pythagoras.html)

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4.02
Example

CALCULATING THE SHORTER SIDES

Find the value of x in each of the following. (a)
6 10 x x

We can also use Pythagoras Theorem to find the length of the shorter sides in a right triangle.

(b)
13 5

Solution

(a)

102 = 62 + x2 100 = 36 + x2 64 = x2 x = x =8 64

(b) 132 = x2 + 52 169 = x2 + 25 144 = x2 x = 144

The opposite of square is the square root.

x = 12

We suggest that you always start with the hypotenuse square, which is not necessarily the pronumeral square.

4.02
1. Write the equation for Pythagoras Rule for each of the following right triangles. (Do not solve the equation.) (a)
5 x 10 4

(b)

8 x

(c)

10 a 26

(d)

(e)
w
24 25

12

(f)
13 y

15

12

2.

Find the value of the pronumeral using Pythagoras Theorem. (Correct to 1 d.p.) x (a) (b) (c)
12 8

8 y

15

6 Pythagoras Theorem

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(d)
2.1 4.6

(e)

16 7 w

(f)

14

25

3.

Find the length of the shorter side indicated. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 5 10 3 6
x y

(c)

10

26

(d)

(e)
x

(f)

10

12

x 15

(g)
5.6 p

(h)
7.2 2.8 m 2.7

(i)
d 9.4

5.1

4.

North

13 km

A boat sails due east for 12 km and then due north such that it is exactly 13 km from its starting point. How far north is the boat from the starting point?

12 km

East

5.
14 m x 20 m 14 m

Find x, the height of the roof.

6.
5m Wall

A long 5 m ladder is placed against the building so its foot is 2.1 m away on level ground. How far does the ladder reach up the wall?

2.1 m

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7.
800 m 80 m y

A light plane is only 80 m above at the beginning of the runway and 800 m from the end of the runway. Find the length of the runway to the nearest metre.

8. Alex was flying a kite on a windy day. She had let out 62 m of string and was 45 m away from the kite. What is its height from the ground to the nearest metre?

62 m

45 m

9.
B

Marsh C 34 m

75 m

A surveyor wishes to measure the width of the marsh. Using a trundle wheel he found that AB = 75 m and CA = 34 m. Find the width of the marsh to the nearest metre.

10.

2nd

3rd

1st 27 m Home

The diagram shows the 4 bases for a baseball game. If the diamond square has sides 27 m, find the length of the throw from second base to home.

11. Find the value of the pronumeral. (correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b)
20 x x 10

(c)

7.6 x

15

(d)
9

(e)
x 8 cm 15

2.8

x 5

Pythagoras Theorem

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4.03

MISCELLANEOUS PROBLEMS

The following is a mixed set of problems involving Pythagoras. Some may involve two triangles. Always start with the triangle with two sides given and then proceed to the second triangle. In some questions, you may need to draw a construction line to create a right triangle.For the extension students, we have provided some problems in 3-D to test your spatial skills. After all, we do live in a 3-D world! For all word problems, we suggest that you draw a large, clear diagram with data on it. This will assist you with your solution. Example 1 Find the value of the pronumeral.
D x 15 E C 6 A 12 B
I like fruit salad or mixed nuts!

Solution

Construct a dotted line EC parallel to the base AB to form a right triangle DEC. Now DE = AD EA = 15 6 = 9 since EA = CB (opposite sides of a rectangle). In DEC x2 = 92 + 122 = 81 + 144 x2 = 225 x = 225 = 15 take the square root of both sides Pythagoras Theorem

Example 2 For this yacht, find x, the height of the mast and length of y, the small guy rope.

12 m

6m

3m

Solution

We work with the left right triangle first as two sides are given. Then we proceed to the second triangle. 122 144 x2 x = x2 + 62 = x2 + 36 = 144 36 = 108 = 108 = 10.4 m y2 = x2 + 32 = 108 + 9 = 117 y = 117 = 10.8 m

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4.03
1. Find the height of the cone (correct to 1 d.p.).
10

Start with the triangle given two sides.

2.
45 m 15 m

Find the area of the rectangle.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

In a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse is 26 cm and one side is 24 cm. Find the area of the triangle. A square has a perimeter of 32 cm. Find the length of its diagonal (to 1 d.p.). A square has a diagonal of 10 cm. Find the length of its side to the nearest mm. Can you fit a 77 cm long fishing rod at the bottom of a suitcase 60 cm long and 50 cm wide? Can you fit a circular tabletop 2.3 m in diameter through a doorway, which is 2 m high and 1 m wide?

y 45 m 20 m 20 m

Two buildings are 20 m apart on level ground. Find the length of wire joining the top of the two buildings to the nearest m.

9. Find x, the perpendicular height of the triangle and hence its area.
13 m 13 m

10 m

10. An equilateral triangle has sides of 2 cm. Find the area of the triangle. (Hint: draw one axis of symmetry.) 11. Find x and y and hence the total area of the 2 sails to the nearest m2.
20 m x 12 m y 25 m

Pythagoras Theorem

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12. Find the value of x and y. (Correct to 1 d.p.)

15 m x 5m

3m

13. Find the value of the pronumerals. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 4.6
12 y x 5 2.2 4 x 3
15 m

(c)

6m 4m x 10 m

(d)

20 m w 12 m

14. Find the value of the pronumerals. (Correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 16
k 15 6 21 4 y x 3 4

15.
9 cm A

B 16 cm C

Find:

(a) the length of AC (b) the area of ABC (c) perpendicular height BD

Extension Application of Pythagoras to 3-D

We now make use of our spatial views of 3-D solids by looking at them from the top, from the side and from the front. There are right triangles, which are vertical triangles (stand up from the base), horizontal triangles, which lie on the ground (the base of the solid) and sloping triangles like those in a square base pyramid.

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B C A F D G

ABF is a right triangle lying on the base of the square pyramid. (Diagonals of a square bisect each other at right angles.) EFG is a vertical triangle standing up at right angles to the base. EGC is a sloping right triangle on the face DEC.

16. What is the length of the longest straw that you can place in a rectangular box with dimensions: length 12 cm, width 10 cm and height 6 cm? B 17. The perpendicular height of this rectangular-based pyramid is 6 cm. Find x and y the respective heights of the two sloping triangles. Hence calculate the total surface area of this pyramid. (You may need to draw a net.)

A 10 cm

D
D

C 8 cm

18.
A 8 cm H E 8 cm

C B

Find the length of the diagonal EG (base) and hence find the length of the diagonal AG of the cube.

G F
G

8 cm

19.
H E

F 6 cm D

Find (a) the diagonal AC of the base and hence (b) the diagonal AF of the rectangular prism.

A 6 cm B 10 cm

20.

10 Y 10 10

An ant at vertex X wants to travel to vertex Y on this solid wooden cube. Find the length of the shortest distance that it takes.

INVESTIGATION
Pythagorean triads (Extension)
1. You probably have noticed that multiples of {3, 4, 5} such as {6, 8, 10} and {9, 12, 15} also obey Pythagoras Theorem. {6, 8, 10} is twice {3, 4, 5}. It is Pythagorean since 62 + 82 = 102 i.e. 36 + 64 = 100. {9, 12, 15} is three times {3, 4, 5}. Show that this set of numbers is also Pythagorean. A set of three numbers that obey Pythagoras Theorem is called a Pythagorean Triad. We can use algebra to show that {3x, 4x, 5x}, that is, all the multiples of {3, 4, 5} are Pythagorean triads.

Pythagoras Theorem

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Proof:

(3x)2 + (4x)2 = (5x)2 9x + 16x

2 2 2

remember to square both the 3 and x, etc. add the like terms

= 25x

2 2

= 25x 25x Use the above result to complete the following table.
a 3 6 9 30 0.3 0.4 2 2.5 12 16 20 50 b 4 c 5 10
Multiples of Pythagorean triads are also Pythagorean triads.

2.

We could check that there are other combinations of numbers that obey Pythagoras. Example Show that {5, 12, 13}, {7, 24, 25} and {9, 40, 41} are Pythagorean. (b) 72 + 242 = 252 Solution (a) 52 + 122 = 132 25 + 144 = 169 49 + 576 = 625 169 = 169 625 = 625 Here is one method for generating further Pythagorean triads. Step 1 Choose any two consecutive odd numbers such as 3 and 5. Step 2 Add the reciprocals of 3 and 5, i.e., 3 + 5 = 15 . Step 3 Add 2 to the denominator 15 to give us 17, the third number of the triad {8, 15, 17}. Let us check this result. 82 + 152 = 172 64 + 225 = 289 This first method generates triads that start with even numbers. Lets try another example. Choose the consecutive odd numbers 5 and 7. Add the reciprocals.
1 1 12 + = 5 7 35 , now add 2 to the denominator 35 to get the third number, 37.

(c)

92 + 402 = 412 81 +1600 = 1681 1681 = 1681

122 + 352 = 372 144 + 1225 = 1369 The second algebraic method enables us to obtain Pythagorean triads that begin with odd numbers (other than multiplying by a constant). {12, 35, 37} is Pythagorean since Let a = n
b 4 12 24 c 5 13 25

b =

n2 1 2

c =

n2 + 1 2

Complete the table using the above rule.

a 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

Investigate other methods for finding Pythagorean Triads. Visit the Science Press website. See the CD-ROM for a spreadsheet.

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KEY WORDS
right theorem angled diagonal triangle triad hypotenuse length Pythagoras perpendicular

DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSTIC TEST TEST

Pythagoras Theorem
1. Which of the following triangles are right-angled triangles? 4.01

2. How many right angles are there in this diagram?

4.01

3.

Which of the following are right-angled triangles? (a) (b) 5

4.01 (c)
4 5

13

12

(d)
10

3 26

(e)
12

(f)
7

11

24 9

15

4.

Choose the correct statement. (a) A (A) (B) (C) (D)

B C

4.02

AC2 = AB2 + BC2 AB2 = AC2 + BC2 AC = AB + BC AC2 = (AB + BC)2

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(b)

(A) (B) (C) (D)

d 2 = e2 + f 2 f 2 = (d + e)2 e2 = f 2 + d 2 f 2 = d 2 + e2

5.

Find the length of the hypotenuse. (correct to 1 d.p.) (a)

6

4.03 (d)
4 7

(b)

(c)

12

x x 4 24

6.

Find the value of the pronumeral. (correct to 1 d.p.) (a)

5 y

4.03 (c)
5 k

(b)
y 13 4

25

24

(d)

(e)

(f)
x

5.6

10

10 x

2.7

7.

Find the value of the pronumerals. (correct to 1 d.p.) (a) (b) 3

5 x 12 4.8 y x 6.4 x
20

4.03

(c)

y
x

3.6

(d)

24
50 45

12 18

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8.

1st leg 2nd leg

4.03 In a yacht race, the boats sailed 5.4 km on the first leg and 12.8 km on the third leg. How long was the second leg?

3rd leg

9.

4.03 Jay walked from A to D via C. Juan walked from A to D via B and C. How much further did Juan walk?

80

60

C
1st base

150

10.

4.03 In a modified softball game, the distances between the bases are 22 m. Find the throw from second base to the catcher at home.

2nd base

Home

3rd base

Extension
11.
not to scale 5m A 24 m E F B C D

(a) Given DE = 5 m, find the length of DF. (b) Hence, find the area of the sloping triangle DBC.

4.03

Pythagoras Theorem

107