198

RADICALS AND PYTHAGORAS (Chapter 9)

What to do:
1 Two identical right angled triangles, ABP and CQB, are placed on line (PBQ). What
b Give all reasons.
can you deduce about ABC?
2 Find the area of each triangle X, Y and Z.
Hence, express area X + area Y + area Z in simplest form.
3 The
a
b
c

combined regions X, Y and Z form a trapezium. Find:

the average of the parallel sides
the distance between the parallel sides
the area of the trapezium in terms of a and b using the area of a trapezium
formula.

4 Use the results of 2 and 3c to find a relationship between a, b and c.

DISCUSSION

PYTHAGORAS THEOREM

How did Pythagoras prove the theorem he discovered?

Algebra was probably not used as there is no evidence
it was invented until well after his lifetime.
Try the CD link for a possible answer.

PYTHAGORAS
PROOF

FINDING SIDES OF TRIANGLES USING PYTHAGORAS THEOREM

Example 9

Self Tutor

Find the length of the hypotenuse in the

given right angled triangle:

We reject the negative

answer as the length of
a side must be a
positive number!

5 cm
12 cm

Let the hypotenuse have length x cm.

x cm

12 cm

5 cm

)
)
)
)
)

x2 = 122 + 52
x2 = 144 + 25
x2 = 169
p
x = 169
x = 13

fPythagorasg

fas x > 0g

The hypotenuse has length 13 cm.

199

RADICALS AND PYTHAGORAS (Chapter 9)

EXERCISE 9D
1 Find the length of the hypotenuse in each of the following right angled triangles. Leave
your answers in simplest radical form.
a

3 cm

c
7m
4m

4 cm

10 cm
3 cm

6 cm

3 cm

2m

5 cm
8 cm

Example 10

Self Tutor

A right angled triangle has hypotenuse of length 6 cm and one other side of length
3 cm. Determine the length of the third side to the nearest millimetre.
Let the third side have length x cm.

x cm

fPythagorasg
) x2 + 32 = 62
2
) x + 9 = 36
) x2 = 27
p
p
) x = 27 (or 3 3)
p
fas x > 0g
) x = 27

3 cm
6 cm

Thus the third side has length 5:2 cm.

2 Find the lengths of the unknown sides of the following right angled triangles. Leave
your answers in simplest radical form.
a

8m

c
8 km

5 cm

1 cm
10 m

5 km

e
5 km

8 cm

4 km
2 cm
5 cm

200

RADICALS AND PYTHAGORAS (Chapter 9)

Example 11

Self Tutor

Find the value of y in the following triangles:

a

Make sure you

identify the
hypotenuse.

b
p
5

p
13

y2
) y2
) y2
) y
) y

p
= 32 + ( 5)2 fPythagorasg
=9+5
= 14
p
= 14
p
= 14 fas y is positiveg

p
y 2 + 22 = ( 13)2
) y 2 + 4 = 13
) y2 = 9
p
) y= 9
) y = 3 fas y is positiveg

3 Find the value of y in the following triangles:

a

2
y

p
3

p
2

p
5

p
11

p
7

y
y

e
p
2

p
17

4
4

Example 12

Self Tutor
y

Find the unknown lengths:

x 2 = 32 + 22
) x2 = 9 + 4
) x2 = 13
p
) x = 13

fPythagorasg

fas x is positiveg

p
2

201

RADICALS AND PYTHAGORAS (Chapter 9)

p
y 2 + ( 13)2 = 52
) y 2 + 13 = 25
) y2 = 12
p
) y = 12
p
) y=2 3

y
5

p
13

fPythagorasg

fas y is positiveg

4 Find the unknown lengths:

a

c
5
y

6
x

y
x
x

10

15

B
1

4
2
3

(AB=x)
x

INVESTIGATION 4

LOCATING RADICALS ON A NUMBER LINE

What to do:
1 On a number line mark the position 3.
2 At 3 construct a right angle and draw
a side of length 2 units.
3 Complete the triangle. By Pythagoras
Theorem,
the length of the hypotenuse
p
is 13 units.

p
13

4 With compass point at O, and radius equal to the

p
length of the hypotenuse, draw an arc to cut the number line at 13.
p
Estimate the value of 13 as accurately as you can.
p
p
p
5
b
17
c
29
5 Repeat the above procedure for: a

3
p
13 3.6

p
45