Pythagoras

Pythagoras

1. Pythagoras' theorem works for all right angled triangles. 'The square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides' The hypotenuse is the longest side and it's always opposite the right angle.

   • Equation: a^2 = b^2 + c^2
   • Pythagoras' theorem only works for right-angled triangles, so you can use it to test whether a triangle has a right angle or not.

2. Calculating the length of another side of a triangle

   • If you know the length of the hypotenuse and one of the other sides, you can use Pythagoras’ theorem to find the length of the third side. We can rearrange the formula for Pythagoras’ theorem, in order to make Equation: {b} or Equation: {c} the subject of the formula

3. Using Pythagoras in 3D

   • We create an extra right angled triangle, for example in the cuboid if you want to work out the line A-F, you first need to work out A-c then use that to work out A-F.

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