My Fav Bookmarks

Every step you take now is every step closer to your goal. Fetus Steps is here for everyone who enjoys learning as much the publisher himself. Someone who strongly believes that only through learning does one grow.

Monday, January 30, 2006

Pythagorean Theorem and its many proofs

Let's build up squares on the sides of a right triangle. Pythagoras' Theorem then claims that the sum of (the areas of) two small squares equals (the area of) the large one.

In algebraic terms, a2 + b2 = c2 where c is the hypotenuse while a and b are the sides of the triangle.

The theorem is of fundamental importance in the Euclidean Geometry where it serves as a basis for the definition of distance between two points. It's so basic and well known that, I believe, anyone who took geometry classes in high school couldn't fail to remember it long after other math notions got thoroughly forgotten.

Pythagorean Theorem and its many proofs