The Pythagorean Theorem was

one of the earliest theorems

known to ancient civilizations.

This famous theorem is named

for the Greek mathematician
and philosopher, Pythagoras.

The Pythagorean Theorem is

Pythagoras' most famous
mathematical contribution.
 PROOF OF PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
PROOF 1.
The area of the square built upon the hypotenuse of a right triangle is
equal to the sum of the areas of the squares upon the remaining sides.

SOLUTION:
If a and b are the lengths of the legs, and c is the length of the hypotenuse, then
According to the Pythagorean Theorem, the sum
of the areas of the two red squares, squares A
and B, is equal to the area of the blue square,
square C.

Thus, the Pythagorean Theorem stated

algebraically is:

for a right triangle with sides of lengths a, b, and

c, where c is the length of the hypotenuse.
EXAMPLE 1:

SOLUTION:

32 + 42 =52
9+16=25
𝟐𝟓=𝟐𝟓
EXAMPLE 2:

SOLUTION:

1192 +1202= 1692

1 4161+14400=28561
𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟔𝟏=𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟔𝟏
PROOF 2.
A large square of side a+b is divided into two smaller squares of sides a
and b respectively, and two equal rectangles with sides a and b; each of
these two rectangles can be split into two equal right triangles by drawing
the diagonal c.
SOLUTION:
The four triangles can be arranged within another square of side a+b as shown in the figures.
 Arranging the four identical right triangles into a square is equal to the sum
a b
of the four right triangles and its empty space.
b a
c c
c
a

b
c c b
a

b a

THIS IS THE FIGURE

EQUATION:

c a a
c
b b

c c a a

b b
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑖𝑔 𝑆𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑆𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 4 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑠

(𝑎+ 𝑏)2 𝑐2 1
( )
4 𝑎𝑏
2

=
𝑩𝟐

𝑪𝟐

𝑨𝟐

𝑨𝟐 + 𝑩 𝟐 = 𝑪 𝟐

 Therefore, the square on c is equal to the sum of the squares on a and b.

 The proof of the Pythagorean Theorem that was inspired by a figure was
included in the book Vijaganita, (Root Calculations), by the Hindu
mathematician Bhaskara. Bhaskara's only explanation of his proof was,
simply, "Behold".

 These proofs and the geometrical discovery surrounding the Pythagorean

Theorem led to one of the earliest problems in the theory of numbers
known as the Pythgorean problem.
PROOF 3.
In right-angled triangles the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum
of the squares on the legs.

SOLUTION:
Construct a perpendicular line from C to the
segment DJ on the square on the hypotenuse. The
points H and G are the intersections of this
perpendicular with the sides of the square on the
hypotenuse. It lies along the altitude to the right
triangle ABC. 
The area of rectangle HBDG is equal to the area of square on BC and that the are of the rectangle HAJG is
equal to the area of the square on AC. He proved these equalities using the concept of similarity. Triangles
ABC, AHC, and CHB are similar. The area of rectangle HAJG is (HA)(AJ) and since AJ = AB, the area is
also (HA)(AB). The similarity of triangles ABC and AHC means

and therefore

or, as to be proved, the area of the rectangle HAJG is the same as the area of the square on side AC. In the
same way, triangles ABC and CHG are similar. So

and

Since the sum of the areas of the two rectangles is the area of the square on the hypotenuse, this completes
the proof.
Parallelograms are double the triangles with the same base and between the same
parallels. Draw CJ and BE.

Conclusion:
The area of the rectangle AHGJ is double the area of triangle JAC, and the area of square ACLE is
double triangle BAE. The two triangles are congruent by SAS. The same result follows in a
similar manner for the other rectangle and square.
PROOF 4.

 Triangle CDE is congruent to triangle ACB by

leg-leg.

 In triangle ACB, m<ACB =90 and the sides have

lengths a, b, c.

 In triangle CDE, m<CDE =90 and the sides have

lengths a,b, c.

 Triangle EGH is congruent to triangle ACB by

leg-leg. The m<EGH =90 and its sides have
lengths a and c. Since EF=b-a=AI, EG=b. Thus
the diagonals CE and EH are both equal to c.
SOLUTION:
By calculating the area of each piece, it can be shown that

Area 1:

Area 2:

Area 3:

Area 6 (and Area 5):

Area 7 (and Area 4):

By adding all of these areas together we get the following result:

So,
PROOF 5.
The area of trapezoid is equal to the sum of the area of the 6 triangles.

SOLUTION:
By the construction that was used to form this trapezoid, all 6 of the
triangles contained in this trapezoid are right triangles. Thus,
Area of Trapezoid = The Sum of the areas of the 6 Triangles

And by using the respective formulas for area, we get:

We have completed the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem using the

trapezoid.
The next three proofs are more easily seen proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem and would be ideal
for high school mathematics students. In fact, these are proofs that students could be able to
construct themselves at some point.

The first proof begins with a rectangle divided up into three triangles, each of which contains a
right angle. This proof can be seen through the use of computer technology, or with something as
simple as a 3x5 index card cut up into right triangles.

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

 It can be seen that triangles 2 (in green) and 1 (in red), will completely overlap
triangle 3 (in blue). Now, we can give a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem using
these same triangles.
Proof:
I. Compare triangles 1 and 3

FIGURE 3
Angles E and D, respectively, are the right angles in these triangles. By comparing their similarities, we have

and from Figure 6, BC = AD. So,

By cross-multiplication, we get :
II. Compare triangles 2 and 3:

FIGURE 4
By comparing the similarities of triangles 2 and 3 we get:

From Figure 1, AB = CD. By substitution,

Cross-multiplication gives:

Finally, by adding equations 1 and 2, we get:

From triangle 3,
AC = AE + EC
so
FIGURE 5
 The next proof is another proof of the Pythagorean Theorem that begins
with a rectangle. It begins by constructing rectangle CADE with BA = DA.

 Next, we construct the angle bisector of <BAD and let it intersect ED at

point F. Thus, <BAF is congruent to <DAF, AF = AF, and BA = DA. So, by
SAS, triangle BAF = triangle DAF.

 Since <ADF is a right angle, <ABF is also a right angle.

 Next, since m<EBF + m<ABC + m<ABF = 180 degrees and m<ABF = 90
degrees.
<EBF and <ABC are complementary.
Thus, m<EBF + m<ABC = 90 degrees.

 We also know that

m<BAC + m<ABC + m<ACB = 180 degrees.
Since m<ACB = 90 degrees, m<BAC + m<ABC = 90

 Therefore, m<EBF + m<ABC = m<BAC + m<ABC and m<BAC =

m<EBF.
By the AA similarity theorem, triangle EBF is similar to triangle CAB.
Now, let k be the similarity ratio between triangles EBF and CAB.

Thus, triangle EBF has sides with lengths ka, kb, and kc. Since FB = FD, FD = kc.
Also, since the opposite sides of a rectangle are congruent, b = ka + kc and c = a + kb.
By solving for k, we have
and 
Thus,

By cross-multiplication,

Therefore,

and we have completed the proof.