PYTHAGORAS’

Py thagoras’ T heorem

THEOREM

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 Fill in these spaces with any other interesting facts you can find about Pythagoras.

In the world of Mathematics, Pythagoras is a legend.

He lived from 580 BC – 500 BC.

One of his most recognised

discoveries was the relationship
between the side lengths of all
right-angled triangles.

is a go!
Give th

The numbers 3, 4, 5 have the following relationship:

32 + 42 = 52
9 + 16 = 25
Find another group of three whole numbers that includes the number 14 and has the same relationship.
psst! the other two numbers are somewhere between 45 and 55!

Work through the book for a great way to do this

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Right-angled triangles

These special triangles all have a right-angle (angle of size 90o) as one of the internal angles.

Hypotenuse
(Longest side)
Short side
opposite

o
Perpendicular = 90
Right angle
Other short side

The two shorter sides are always perpendicular to each other.

For each of these right-angled triangles, name the hypotenuse and then draw in the right-angle.

(i) (ii)
Y
Sides are lower case and corners are CAPITALS
b

a X Z
c

The hypotenuse is the longest side The hypotenuse is the longest side

` hypotenuse = side c ` hypotenuse = side XZ

The right-angle is the angle opposite the hypotenuse The hypotenuse is always opposite the right-angle

b
Y
opposite
a
opposite
hypotenuse
c
X hypotenuse Z

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Right-angled triangles

1 For each of these right-angled triangles, name the hypotenuse and draw the right-angle in
the correct position.

a b D E
y

x
z

Hypotenuse is side:
F
Hypotenuse is side:

c Q d k

j
l

Hypotenuse is side:

P R
S
Hypotenuse is side: LE
NG
RI
A
T RI
GH
ED

T-
GL

AN
N

GL
-A

Name the hypotenuse for each of these badly drawn triangles: ..

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2
ED

..
HT

TR
..../.
IA
NG
G

LE
RI

S
a b M
c
a

b L
N
Hypotenuse is side: Hypotenuse is side:

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Squares and right-angled triangles

When squares are drawn using each side length of a right-angled triangle, something interesting happens.
For the triangle below:

(i) Use the side lengths in the triangle to create three squares.

5 units
4 units

3 units

5 units
4 units
3

4 units 1
5 units

3 units 2
Area of a square
= (side length)2
3 units

(ii) Calculate the area of each square formed and write a relationship between them.

Area 1 = 4 # 4 = 42 = 16

Area 2 = 3 # 3 = 32 = 9 Area 1 + Area 2 = Area 3

Area 3 = 5 # 5 = 52 = 25 16 units2 + 9 units2 = 25 units2

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Squares and right-angled triangles SQ

UA
RE

S
S

LE
AN
D

NG
Show that the relationship between the areas of the squares formed using each side RI

IA
GH
T

TR
length works for these right-angled triangles:

- ANG
ED
GL
..../

- AN

L
.....

ED
T
GH
/20..
1

T
RI

RI
13 units .
D
AN

NG A
S
5 units RE

LE
13 units SQ
UA

S
12 units

3 Area 1 =

5 units 1 Area 2 =

Area 3 =
2

12 units

2
Area 1 =
10 units 6 units

8 units 3 Area 2 =

10 units
1
Area 3 =
6 units

8 units

3 Try the jigsaw puzzle at the back of this booklet to see another way of showing
this property.

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Pythagoras’ Theorem for right-angled triangles

The squares and right-angled triangles section showed that a relationship exists between the side
lengths of right-angled triangles. This relationship is called Pythagoras’ Theorem.

hypotenuse c
other short side b

short side a

(short side)2 + (other short side)2 = (longest side)2

a2 + b2 = c2

always the hypotenuse

If the rule does not work, then it is not a right-angled triangle.

Use Pythagoras’ Theorem to determine which of the following triangles are right-angled or not.

(i) (ii) 1.5

8
0.8
4
1.7
6

Substitute lengths into Pythagoras’ Theorem

(short side)2 + (other short side)2 = (longest side)2

42 + 62 = 82 0.82 + 1.52 = 1.72

16 + 36 = 64 0.64 + 2.25 = 2.89

52 ! 64 2.89 = 2.89

` not a right-angled triangle ` is a right-angled triangle

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Pythagoras’ Theorem for right-angled triangles

1 Use Pythagoras’ Theorem to calculate which of the following triangles are right-angled or not.

a b 25

15
9 14 20

12

Right-angled Not right-angled Right-angled Not right-angled

c d
1.2
3.4
7.1 3.5

3.7
9.6

Right-angled Not right-angled Right-angled Not right-angled

e f

21
20
24 PYTH
AGOR
AS’ T
HEOR
S

EM
NGLE

FOR

c 2=
25
TRIA

a 2+
29 b2
RIGH
GLED

T-AN
T-AN

GLED

20...
7
..../
RIGH

..../.
TRIA
FOR

NGLE

EM
HEOR
GORAS’ T
A
S

PYTH

Right-angled Not right-angled Right-angled Not right-angled

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Pythagoras’ Theorem for right-angled triangles


2 Name all the right-angled triangles pictured below and mark where the right-angle is with the
correct symbol.
J
A
Remember, triangles are
named by their vertices.
10 10.5 D
16 = ΔDEF

H F E
20 I
K 14.5

12 B M K

J 29
52
24 L 48 48
20

21 G
20
C H
A 15 N

The right-angled triangles are:

3 Earn an awesome passport with this one! Name all the right-angled triangles in this image and mark
where the right-angles are with the correct symbol.

65 E SOME *
R S A W
*

15
..../.....
/20...
3280 AW
*

T ESO *
ME
36 52
24

The right-angled triangles are:

15
5 U
P Q
16
12

V
Diagram not drawn to scale.

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PY
T
EN

TH
EM

AG
Pythagoras’ Theorem by measurement

UR

OR
AS

AS
’T
ME

HE
M BY

OR
EM Y
For each of these right-angled triangles:

RE

B
O
..../...../20...

HE

M
T

EA
AS’

SU
OR

R
(i) Use a ruler to carefully measure the length of each side to the nearest whole millimetre.

E
HA

ME
T

NT
PY
(ii) Use the measurements to complete the table at the bottom of the page.

c
c
a a
2
1
b

c
c a
3 4 a
b
b

a
c
5

b c 6
a b

a a2 b b2 c c2 a2 + b2
1

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Calculating the length of the hypotenuse

 e can use Pythagoras’ Theorem to calculate the length of the hypotenuse if the
W c2 = a2 + b2
two shorter sides of the right-angled triangle are already known.

The order that we put the short side values into the formula does not matter.
Calculate the length of the hypotenuse for this right-angled triangle.

c
7

24
Hypotenuse2 = short side2 + other short side2
Let’s label the hypotenuse ‘c’
` c2 = 72 + 242 2 2 2
or c = 24 + 7 — short side order does not matter

c2 = 49 + 576
c2 = 625 To calculate the length c, square root this value

` c = 625
` c = 25 units Write the positive answer only because it’s a length
Stop here if asked for
answer in exact form

Rounded off decimal values are approximate answers only, so the '≈' symbol should be used.
Calculate the length of the hypotenuse for this right-angled triangle accurate to 2 decimal places.

m
3.14 units

8.16 units
Hypotenuse2 = short side2 + other short side2 Label the hypotenuse for easy referencing

` m2 = 8.162 + 3.142
m2 = 66.5856 + 9.8596
m2 = 76.4452 To calculate the length m, square root this value
exact form ` m = 76.4452 units Answer in square root form

m = 8.743294574... Write full calculator reading before rounding

` m . 8.74 units Approximate answer rounded to 2 decimal places

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Calculating the length of the hypotenuse


1 Complete these Pythagoras’ Theorem calculations to find the length of the hypotenuse in
each triangle.

a b 15

c
6 8
g

c2 = 62 + 2
g2 = 82 + 2

` c2 = + ` g2 = +

` c2 = ` g2 =

exact form ` c = exact form ` g =

` c = units ` g = units

2 Use Pythagoras’ Theorem to calculate the length of the hypotenuse in each of these triangles.

a 5 b 1.6

1.2
d

c 12

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Calculating the length of the hypotenuse

3 Calculate the length of the hypotenuse in each of these triangles, leaving answers in exact form.

a 6.0 b
12
1.1 35
h

4 Calculate the length of the hypotenuse in each of these triangles, rounding answers to 2 decimal places.
psst! Remember to use the ‘≈’ for rounded answers.

a c b

10 units 9 units 5.9 units

3.4 units

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Calculating the length of the hypotenuse


5 Calculate the total length of the 3-stage flight path over the hills shown below accurate to 1 decimal place.
psst! You need to do 3 hypotenuse calculations first.

Flight path

Stage 3
36m
Stage 2
39m

Stage 1 198m

Launch pad

40m 252m 360m

TING THE
LA 2
CU

b
LE

2 +
a
CAL

c =
2
NGTH OF

0...
.. ./2
/..
E

....
US

TH
E HYPOTEN

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Calculating the length of a short side

To calculate a short side length in a right-angled triangle, the formula needs a little adjusting.

a2 = c2 - b2

Subtract the given short side squared away from the hypotenuse squared.
Calculate the length of the missing side for this right-angled triangle.

a 15 units

12 units

Short side2 = hyponenuse2 - other short side2 or a2 = c2 - b2

Let’s label the short side ‘a’

` a2 = 152 - 122 Always (longest side)2 – (smaller side)2

a2 = 225 - 144
a2 = 81 To calculate the length of a, square root this value

` a = 81 units
` a = 9 units Write the positive answer only because it’s a length

Answers left in square root form are not approximations, so the ‘=’ can still be used.
Calculate the length of side k for this right-angled triangle, leaving answer in exact form.

7.3

k 1.9

Hypotenuse2 = short side2 + other short side2 or k2 = c2 - a2

` k2 = 7.32 - 1.92
k2 = 53.29 - 3.61 Label the hypotenuse for referencing

k2 = 49.68 To calculate the length k, square root this value

` k = 49.68 units Answer in exact form

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Calculating the length of a short side


1 Fill the gaps in these calculations to find the length of the missing short side in each triangle.

a b

26 b
a 1.3

24 8.5

a2 = 262 - 2 b2 = 2
- 1.32

` a2 = - ` b2 = -

` a2 = ` b2 =

` a = ` b =

` a = units ` b = units

2 Use Pythagoras’ Theorem to calculate the length of the missing short side in each of these triangles.

a j b 18 units

56 a
70 18.1 units

T
ING HE L
AT
EN
L
CALCU

GTH OF TH

c
2 -b

/20...
a =
2

...
..../..
DE

E
SHORT SI

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Calculating the length of a short side

3 Calculate the length of the missing short side in each of these triangles, leaving answers
in square root form.

a b 11.75
b
w
11 14.25

17

4 Calculate the length of the missing short side in each of these triangles, rounding answers to
1 decimal place.
psst! Remember to use the ‘. ’ for rounded off answers.

a b 23.42

41.08
x
13.8

8.3

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O TIME
MB
Combination of hypotenuse and short side calculations

CO

COM
BO TI
Match the triangles with the correct side length on the right to reveal the missing answer.
/20...

ME
..
..../...

TI
E

M
O
The special name given a right-angled triangle which is exactly one half of an equilateral triangle: COMB

=
triangle
1 2 3 4 5 6

c
15
14.12
20
545
2
a 2.9
544
4
42 I M

73.4
42.1
b
E

d 41.9 5 25
Q
53.2

e 3
32 67.7
E
68
1 6

20 33
h

14.16 H

g
30 60

67

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Applications of Pythagoras’ Theorem

Distances that are difficult to measure can be solved using Pythagoras’ Theorem.
Calculate how far a 15 m support will reach up a wall if standing 9 m away from its base.

Support 15 m h
Walls and buildings are perpendicular to the ground

9 m

Let’s label the height up the wall ‘h’ This is a short side of a right-angled triangle

` h2 = 152 - 92

h2 = 225 - 81

h2 = 144 Square root this value to find h

` h = 12 m Write the positive answer only because it’s a length

Pythagoras’ Theorem is often used to calculate unknown lengths in perimeter and area calculations.
Calculate the perimeter of the garden shaped like a right-angled triangle shown below.

Remember: Perimeter
is the total distance c
around the outside 12 m

35 m
` c2 = 352 + 122 First need the distance along the hypotenuse

c2 = 1225 + 144

c2 = 1369 Square root this value

` c = 1369 m
` c = 37m

` Perimeter of the garden = 35 m + 12 m + 37 m Add all the side distances together

= 84 m

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EM
OR
HE

AP
T
S’

PL
Applications of Pythagoras’ Theorem GO
RA

IC
A
TH

AT
PY

IO
../20...
F
One end of a 13 m straight wire is attached to a flag pole 12 m above the ground.

SO
1

NS
ON

OF
How far away from the base of the flag pole (x) will the other end be attached

..../...
PY
TH

I
AG

AT
to the ground as a support? OR
AS

IC
’T
HE

PL
OR
EM

AP
13 m 12 m

2 Gini has made a pudding in a large 42 cm by 34 cm tray. If she first cuts the pudding diagonally
from one corner to the other, how long was the cut Gini made to the nearest whole cm?

42 cm

34 cm

3 To avoid going through a muddy swamp, Mila walks 1.7 km west and then 3.9 km South.

(i) How far is Mila away from where she started at the end of this walk? Round answer to
2 decimal places.
psst! West and South directions are perpendicular (90o) to each other.

1.7 km
Start

3.9 km

Finish

(ii) How much further did Mila have to walk to avoid the swamp?

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Applications of Pythagoras’ Theorem

(i) Calculate the base length of the painted triangle below.

4
(ii) Use the base length to calculate the area of the triangle.
psst! The area equals (base # height) ' 2
(i)

17 m
2.6 m
(ii)

Base length

The mouse wants to run the shortest path from point A to point C across the floor shown.
5
Calculate the shortest path between these two points if corner B blocks the direct path.

C

B
54.4 m

3.3 m

A 18 m Diagram not drawn to scale.

6 (i) Calculate the length of the side marked ‘y’.

(ii) Calculate the perimeter of the trapezium.

172 cm (i)

y 120 cm
(ii)

137 cm

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Applications of Pythagoras’ Theorem E

E SOM *
A W
Give these two trickier applications a go to earn an awesome passport stamp!

.
/20..
*

.....
AW

*
7 Use Pythagoras’ Theorem twice to find the distance between points X and Y.

..../
psst! Find the difference between WY and WX
ES
OM E *
Y

X 65

34

W Z
16

Calculate the length of the cable support BD on the crane picture below if CD = 9.5 m, AB = 6 m
8
and BC = 18.5 m.

18.5 m C
B
9.5 m

6 m
D

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Pythagorean triads

A Pythagorean triad is the special name given to a set of three positive integers that work in
Pythagoras’ Theorem.

Pythagorean triad integers represent the side lengths of a right-angled triangle.

The integers 3, 4 and 5 form the best known Pythagorean triad.

" 3,4,5 ,

Remember: integers are

Braces are used to display a set of integers
just whole numbers.

" 3 , 4 , 5 , is a Pythagorean triad because 32 + 42 = 52 Integers work in Pythagoras’ Theorem

5 3 They form a right-angled triangle

Because each integer is a side length for a right-angled triangle, negative values are not allowed.

Pythagoras’ Theorem is used to show if a set of three integers form a Pythagorean triad.
Show whether these sets of integers form a Pythagorean triad or not.

(i) " 8 , 22 , 24 , (ii) " 9 , 12 , 15 ,

Test to see if: (largest value)2 = (smallest value)2 + (middle value)2

Largest value = 24 Largest value = 15

Middle value = 22 Middle value = 12
Smallest value = 8 Smallest value = 9

Test: does 242 = 82 + 222 ? Test: does 152 = 92 + 122 ?

576 = 64 + 484 ? 225 = 81 + 144 ?

576 ! 548 You can use the 225 = 225

LHS = RHS test
approach here too

` Is " 8 , 22 , 24 , a Pythagorean triad? ` Is " 9 , 12 , 15 , a Pythagorean triad?

Yes  No  Yes No

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A
TRI DS
N
Pythagorean triads

PY
THAGOREA

THAGOREA
5
3

1 Write the side lengths of these right-angled triangles as a Pythagorean triad set. 4

./20...
..../....

PY
N
TRI S
a b 26 AD
20
12
24 10

16

" 12 ,16 , 20 , { , , }

psst! Note that they are written in order of size.

c 35 d

9
12 41
37

40
{ , , }
{ , , }

2 Show whether these sets of positive integers form a Pythagorean triad or not.

a " 7 , 24 , 25 , b " 14 , 48 , 50 , c " 12 , 34 , 36 ,

Yes No Yes No Yes No

d " 15 , 36 , 39 , e " 16 , 60 , 63 , f " 12 , 30 , 31 ,

Yes No Yes No Yes No

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Euclid’s formula for Pythagorean triads

Euclid of Alexandria (a Greek mathematician) developed this method to find most Pythagorean triads:

Step 1: Choose two positive integers p and q. When you pick these integers, make p larger than q i.e. p > q
Step 2: Substitute values for p and q into these to make a Pythagorean triad:

" p2 - q2 , 2pq , p2 + q2 ,

small integer other small integer largest integer

Use the values p = 3 and q = 2 to make a Pythagorean triad.

For the values p = 3 and q = 2

" p2 - q2 , 2pq , p2 + q2 ,

" 32 - 22 , 2 # 3 # 2 , 32 + 22 , Substitute in p and q values

" 9 - 4 , 12 , 9 + 4 ,

" 5 , 12 , 13 , Calculate final values

Let’s check that it works 52 + 122 = 132 ?

25 + 144 = 169?

169 = 169  Integers form a Pythagorean triad

Here is another example with a specific request.

Use Euclid’s formula to make a Pythagorean triad that contains the number 8.

" p2 - q2 , 2pq , p2 + q2 ,

` Let 2pq = 8 This will be the easiest to use this time

` p = 4 and q = 1 p > q and ensures a value of 8

" 42 - 12 , 2 # 4 # 1 , 42 + 12 , Substitute in p and q values

" 16 - 1 , 8 , 16 + 1 ,

" 15 , 8 , 17 , Calculate final values

" 8 , 15 , 17 , Put values into ascending order for triad

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Euclid’s formula for Pythagorean triads

1 Complete this table for the given values of p and q to make Pythagorean triads.

p q p2 - q2 2pq p2 + q2 Triad

2 1

3 1

5 2

7 6

11 3

21 18

2 Make Pythagorean triads matching each of these specific requests.

(i) Find a Pythagorean triad in which p = 7 and p2 - q2 is equal to 33.

ID’S FOR
CL

EU

MU
* " p - q , 2p

LA
2
2
q , p2

FOR P
AIDS
+ q 2,

..../...../
20...
TR
TH

Y
AGOREAN

(ii) Find a Pythagorean triad in which q = 6 and p2 + q2 is equal to 61.

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Euclid’s formula for Pythagorean triads

3 Find a group of three integers that includes the number 14 and forms a Pythagorean triad.

er m e?
Rememb

4 Use the space below to show why the value of p must be greater than the value of q when using
Euclid’s formula to find a Pythagorean triad.
* AWESOM
Use your own values of p and q to help show your answer. E

*
..../..
hint: Pythagorean triads can be made using positive integers only.
* .../20.
..
E
This is definitely worth an awesome stamp!! * AWESOM

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Wheel of Theodorus

When squares are drawn using each side length of a right-angled triangle, something interesting happens.
1 1
1
4 1
5
3
6
1
2 1
7
1
Starting with this isosceles 8
triangle, each new right-angled 1
triangle is built using the
hypotenuse of the previous one. 9
1
10
11
12 1

1 The length of the longest sides form

a nice square root number pattern.
1

How does this work?

Using Pythagoras’ Theorem:

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

` for the first triangle:

1 c c = 12 + 12 1 2

= 2
1 1

` for the second triangle: 1 1

2 2
c = 1 +( 2)
c
3
= 1+ 2
2 = 3 2

The pattern continues in this fashion always using 1 as the shortest side value.

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Wheel of Theodorus

Using the start made for you, continue the pattern always using 2 as the shortest side value to create your
own neat spiral wheel.
EODORUS
TH

WHEEL OF

WHEEL OF

0...
../2
/...
TH
EODORUS

....
2

8
2

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Reflection Time

Reflecting on the work covered within this booklet:

1 What useful skills have you gained by learning Pythagoras’ Theorem?

2 Write about one way you think you could apply Pythagoras’ Theorem to a real life situation.

3 If you discovered or learnt about any shortcuts to help with Pythagoras calculations or some other
cool facts, jot them down here:

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 Cheat Sheet Pythagoras’ Theorem

Here is a summary of the things you need to remember for Pythagoras’ Theorem

Right-angled triangles
• These special triangles all have a right-angle (angle of size 90o) as one of the internal angles.
• The 90o angle is always opposite the longest side.
• The two shorter sides are always perpendicular to each other.

Pythagoras’ Theorem for right-angled triangles

• The squares and right-angled triangles section showed that a relationship exists between the side
lengths of right-angled triangles. This relationship is called Pythagoras’ Theorem.

hypotenuse other short side c

b

short side a

(short side)2 + (other short side)2 = (longest side)2 a2 + b2 = c2

always the hypotenuse

• If the rule does not work, then it is not a right-angled triangle.

Calculating the length of the hypotenuse

c2 = a2 + b2
• Use Pythagoras’ Theorem to calculate the length of the hypotenuse if the
two shorter sides of the right-angled triangle are already known.
• The order that we put the short side values into the formula does not matter.

Calculating the length of a short side

a2 = c2 - b2
• To calculate a short side length in a right-angled triangle, the formula needs
a little adjusting.
• Subtract the given short side squared away from the hypotenuse squared.

Pythagorean Triads
• A Pythagorean triad is a set of three positive numbers that work in Pythagoras’ Theorem.

Making Pythagorean Triads

Step 1: Choose two positive numbers p and q.
When you pick these numbers, make p larger than q i.e. p > q
Step 2: Substitute values for p and q into this to make a Pythagorean triad: " p2 - q2 , 2pq , p2 + q2 ,
Step 3: Write the values in ascending order.

30 I 7 Pythagoras’ Theorem
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Jigsaw Puzzle Pythagoras’ Theorem

Squares and right-angled triangles: Jigsaw Puzzle

Step 1: Cut the two shaded squares out from the page.
Step 2: Cut the larger of these two along the dotted lines.
Step 3: A
 rrange all the pieces to fit perfectly inside
this square.
Step 4: S tick the pieces to the page to show the area
of the two smaller squares add together to give
the area of this square on the hypotenuse.




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32 I 7 Pythagoras’ Theorem
SERIES TOPIC Mathletics Passport © 3P Learning
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