Understanding Pythagoras' Theorem
Pythagoras' Theorem states that in any right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Simply put: a² + b² = c², where c is always the hypotenuse (the longest side opposite the right angle).
You can rearrange this formula to find any side: c = √ or a = √. These variations come in handy depending on which side you need to calculate.
When finding the longest side (hypotenuse), start by labelling all sides clearly. Substitute the known values into the formula , then solve for c by taking the square root. For example, with sides of 6cm and 8cm, you'd calculate: c = √ = √ = √100 = 10cm.
Pro Tip: Learn your square numbers (1², 2², 3², etc.) by heart as Pythagoras questions sometimes appear on non-calculator papers!
