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Dive into the rich history and geometric proofs related to Pythagorean Theorem variations, including modernized proofs by Euclid and insights into Pythagorean triples. Discover the fascinating world of mathematical patterns!
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What Should AdornNext Year’s MathContest T-shirt? By Kevin Ferland
b a b c a c c a b c a b Last Year’s T-shirt total area = area of inner square + area of 4 triangles
Proof Pythagoras 585-500 B.C.E. The t-shirt proof is believed to be the type used by the Pythagoreans.
c b a Pythagorean Theorem Given a right triangle we have
b a c c b a James Garfield 1876 total area = area of inner half-square + area of 2 triangles
I II a b x c-x I II ← c → Euclid 323-285 B.C.E.(modernized) proof from Elements
The result was known by Babylonian mathematicians circa 1800 B.C.E.
The oldest known proof is found in a Chinese text circa 600 B.C.E.
b a b c a c c a b c a b Last Year’s T-shirt total area = area of inner square + area of 4 triangles
b a 120° 120° b c a c a b c 120° 120° c b a c a c b 120° 120° a b Generalizing the t-shirt total area = area of inner hexagon + area of 6 triangles
FACT: The area of a regular hexagon with side length s is • FACT: The area of a 120°-triangle with (short) sides a and b is
c b 120° a Result Given a 120°-triangle we have
b a b c a c a b c
DON’T STOP Clearly, this argument extends to any regular 2k-gon for k ≥ 2.
c b θ a Result (n = 2k) Given a θ-triangle we have
s θ/2 θ/2 s s θ s s θ s s θ s FACT: The area of a regular n-gon with side length s is
s/2 s/2 θ/2 h
c h b θ a FACT: The area of a θ-triangle with (short) sidesa and bis
Trig Identity: Proof
b a b c a c a b c Generalized Pythagorean Theorem total n-gon area = area of inner n-gon + area of n θ-triangles
c b θ a Result Given a θ-triangle we have TheLAW OF COSINESin these cases.
Pythagorean Triples A triple (a, b, c) of positive integers such that a2 + b2 = c2 is called a Pythagorean triple. It is called primitive if a, b, and c are relatively prime.
5 3 4 E.g. Whereas, (6, 8, 10) is a Pythagorean triple that is not primitive.
Theorem: All primitive solutions to a2 + b2 = c2 (satisfying a even and b consequently odd) are given by where
7 3 120° 5 E.g. n = 6, θ = 120° What is the characterization of all such primitive triples?
Other 120°-triples (7, 8, 13), (5, 16, 19), … There does exist a characterization of these. What can you find?
b a 120° 120° b c a c a b c 120° 120° c b a c a c b 120° 120° a b Next Year’s t-shirt