Perigals Dissection

Steps to draw on graph paper

1. Draw the triangle with the hypotenuse at the bottom and the larger
of the other sides to the top right.
2. Draw the squares for each side.
3. Find the centre of the square that is on the top right ie the bigger of
the top squares. This is where the diagonals cross.
4. Draw a cross through that centre point that is aligned horizontally
and vertically. This gives the dissection.
5. For the lower square, the first line is drawn from the centre of the
hypotenuse and parallel to the shortest side of the triangle.
6. The next line is perpendicular to the first line and starts from the
centre of the side of that square.
7. The last 2 lines follow the same rules of passing through the centre
of the side of the square and are perpendicular to the previous line.
The shapes can be cut out and assembled as a jigsaw to show this in
action or an animated Powerpoint could perhaps show the same thing.

The diagram is simpler in the case where 2 of the sides of the right angled
triangle are the same length.

Ray Carpenter

Perigals Dissection

Ray Carpenter