Pythagorean Theorem


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From this you can easily come to the algebraic equation that you see in most textbooks:

If the legs are called a resp. b and the hypotenuse is called c, then the area of the second to the last picture can be described by

I. a2+b2+4ab/2 = (a+b)2

The last picture shows

II. c2+4ab/2 = (a+b)2

The right side of both of these equations is equal (both are in a square of the same size).

Therefore, the left side of the two equations is also equal.

a2+b2+4ab/2=c2+4ab/2

Subtract 4ab/2 from each side to obtain the famous formula

a2+b2=c2

 

 


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