MATH 9 MODULE 5 (3rd Quarter)

MATHEMATICS 9
Module 5 : Week 5 : Third Quarter

PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

Learning Competencies
Prove and apply Pythagorean Theorem. (M9GE – IIIi-2)

Objectives
1. Solve the missing side of a right triangle
2. Apply 45-45-90 Right Triangle Theorem
3. Apply 30-60-90 Right Triangle Theorem

Let’s Understand

PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
One of the famous theorems in mathematics provides a way to determine the
length of one side of a right triangle given the length of the other.
The theorem was named after Pythagoras, A Greek mathematician. It was
believed that he was the first one to present a proof for the relationship. Other proofs
were presented after his time.

PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
In a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse is
equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs.

Examples:
1. How long is the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs have lengths 12cm
and 16cm?
Solution:
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
𝑐 2 = (12𝑐𝑚)2 + (16𝑐𝑚)2
𝑐 2 = 144𝑐𝑚2 + 256𝑐𝑚2
𝑐 2 = 400𝑐𝑚2
𝑐 = 20𝑐𝑚

2. Is a triangle whose two sides have lengths 8 and 10, and the hypotenuse is 15
a right triangle?
Solution:
Applying the Pythagorean Theorem
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
Substituting the given values in the formula, we have
(15)2 = (10)2 + 82

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225 = 100 + 64
225 ≠ 164
Therefore, the triangle whose sides have lengths 8, 10, and 15 is not a right
triangle.

3. A rectangular gate whose dimensions are 3 meters by 2 meters is to be braced

with a steel by connecting opposite corners. How long must the steel be?
Solution:
Finding the length of the steel
is actually looking for the
hypotenuse of a right triangle.
Therefore, we can use the
Pythagorean Theorem.
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
= (2𝑐𝑚)2 + (3𝑐𝑚)2
= 4𝑐𝑚2 + 9𝑐𝑚2
𝑐 = √13 cm
Therefore, the steel must be √13 cm long.

𝟒𝟓° − 𝟒𝟓° − 𝟗𝟎° Right Triangle Theorem

We have two types of special right triangles. The isosceles right triangle, which
is 45° − 45° − 90°, and the 30° − 60° − 90° triangle.
Isosceles Right Triangle (or 45° − 45° − 90° Triangle). In this special right
triangle, the legs would be congruent. Remember the relationships that exist between
the angles and sides of an isosceles triangle as stated in Isosceles Triangle Theorem
(ITT) that base angles are congruent. This means that the acute angles of the triangle
both have measure of 45°.

In an isosceles right triangle, the length of the hypotenuse is √𝟐

times the length of any of the legs.
Proof:
𝒄𝟐 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐
Since the right triangle is an isosceles, then the legs are congruent.
Therefore, a = b…. so
𝒄𝟐 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒂𝟐
𝑐 2 = 2𝑎2
𝑐 = √2𝑎2
𝑐 = 𝑎√2 Hypotenuse is equal to the leg times √2

𝑐√2
𝑎= the length of a leg is equal to
2
hypotenuse times √2 divided by 2.

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Examples:
1. Using the figure, if PS = 12, find RS.
Solution:
RS is a leg
𝑐√2
𝑎= 2
𝑃𝑆√2 12√2
RS = = ; 𝑅𝑆 = ; 𝑅𝑆 = 6√2
2 2

𝟑𝟎° − 𝟔𝟎° − 𝟗𝟎° 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒎

The 30° − 60° − 90° Triangle. The 30, 60, and 90 are the measures of
the interior angles of the triangle. The triangle is a right triangle, because of one of its
angles have a measure of 90°. The 30° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 60° are the measures of the acute angles
of the triangle.

In a 𝟑𝟎° − 𝟔𝟎° − 𝟗𝟎° triangle, the length of the hypotenuse is

twice the length of the shorter leg and the length of the longer leg
is √𝟑 times the length of the shorter leg.
Illustration:

c = 2b the length of the hypotenuse is twice the

shorter leg
𝑐 the length of the shorter leg is half the
𝑏=
2 hypotenuse

𝒄√𝟑
𝒂= the length of the longer leg is equal to
𝟐
hypotenuse times √3 divided by 2
or
𝒂 = 𝒃√𝟑 the length of the longer leg is equal to
shorter leg times √3

Examples:
1) How long is the altitude of an equilateral triangle whose sides are 8cm each?

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Solution:
𝐴𝐶√3 8√3
̅̅̅̅
𝐴𝑄 is the altitude 𝐴𝑄 = ; 𝐴𝑄 = ; 𝐴𝑄 = 4√3
2 2

2) How long is the ladder which makes an angle 30° with the wall of the house and
whose foot rests 204 cm from the base of the house.
Solution:
Illustrate the problem. We can use the diagram
to solve the problem.
Using the 30° − 60° − 90° Triangle Theorem,
We have
Let x be length of the ladder
b be the side opposite to the
30° angle, thus
x = 2b
= 2(204cm)
x = 408 cm
The ladder is 408 cm.

Let’s Evaluate
A. Given the following figures, find the value of the variable x and y.

B. Solve the following problems. Show the solutions.

1) Find the approximate distance that will be saved by walking diagonally across
a field 450 meters by 250 meters instead of walking along the two adjacent
sides.
2) An equilateral triangle has an altitude of 15cm. How long is each side and what
is the area?
3) What is the length of the side of a square if the length of the diagonal is 32cm?
4) A square has an area of 9 sq.m and has a perimeter which is equal to the
perimeter of an equilateral triangle. What is the area of the equilateral triangle?
5) In right triangle ABC with ∠𝐶 as the right angle. If AB = 6x-1, BC=4x+6 and
AC=2x+1, what is the value of x?

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