The Pythagorean Theorem, Al-Khwarizmi Style

Theorem: For any right triangle, the squares of each of its short sides added together will equal the square of its long side. A

B () ( )

C ( )

Proof: Let ABCD be an arbitrary square.

Draw the midpoint H of side . Then draw a line from point H parallel to sides and . This line meets side at a point R.

Draw the midpoint T of . Then draw a line from point T parallel to sides and . This line meets side at a point G.

Square ABCD is now divided into four congruent squares. The center point where all four squares meet is point K. Draw line . In doing this we have created two congruent triangles ATH and HKT.

We know that is half the length of . Since we also know is half the length of and is congruent to , it follows that is congruent to . The line joins and opposite right angle .

*If we similarly draw lines and , the shape below is the result.

Therefore we have shown that every square contains 8 congruent triangles, four of which must make up half of the original square.

We know that () gives us the area of square ATKH, which is the combined area of triangles AHT and KTH. ()

Since the area of square ATKH is equal to (), and each of these makes up the area of two triangles (any two triangles since all of the triangles are congruent), the sum of the area of square ATKH (represented by ( ) ) and () is equal to the area of four of the eight triangles contained in the big square. ( ) = () = Area of any 2 triangles inside ABCD ( )

+ () = Area of any 4 triangles inside ABCD

Since the eight triangles that make up square ABCD are congruent, HTRG is a square. Since HTRG is a square made up of four of the triangles, the length of () is also equal to the area of four of these triangles. Since the sum of ( ) and () equals the area of four triangles, and () is also equal to the area of four triangles, ()+ () = (). This proves our original statement: For any right triangle, the squares of each of its short sides added together will equal the square of its long side.