Stage 3 · Structure / #21
The Pythagorean Theorem: Rearrange and See
Coming soon
The video is in production. Follow along on GitHub to hear when it is out.
The idea
In the same big square, just rearrange the four right triangles and the empty space turns from c squared into a squared plus b squared, so a squared plus b squared equals c squared.
A common mix-up
The long side is just the two short sides added up: c equals a plus b.
Where it stops working
Push the right angle open into an obtuse one and the triangles poke out of the square and overlap, so nothing fits; then c squared is bigger than a squared plus b squared.
School year
China 8