PYTHAGORAS THEOREM

 

 

Pythagoras Theorem applies ONLY to Right Angles Triangles and it connect the two short sides to the long (hypotenuse) side:

 

 

Step 1:  Draw a neat diagram. Make sure you draw in the right angle.

 

Step 2: Label the side that the right angle is pointing at (ie the longest of the 3 sides) as H  for Hypotenuse

 

Step 3: Label the other 2 sides as a and as b (NB. It doesn’t matter which way round you put the a and b labels)

 

Eg:

 

 

Step 4: Read the question carefully, is it asking you to find the H side or is it asking you to find an a or a b side?

 

Step5: Decide do you prefer to do the question using the Arithmetic (method 1) or by the Taking the FIS (method 2)?

 

Arithmetic (method 1):

 

In this method you have to remember only 2 things:

 

1.       To find the H side you need to ADD

2.       To find either the a or the b side you need to SUBTRACT

 

eg

 

To find the H side,          Square the a side

                                    Square the b side

                                    ADD the answers

                                    Square Root

 

 

a side:             

b side:             

total:                

answer:            

 

eg

 

To find either the a (or the b) side,           Square the H side

                                                            Square the b side (or the a side)

                                                            SUBTRACT the answers

                                                            Square Root

 

 

H side:             

b side:             

total:                

answer:            

 

Taking the FIS (method 2):

 

In this method you have to remember only the Formula:

 

           

 

eg

 

To find the H side simply take the FIS

 

 

 

eg

 

To find either the a (or the b) side simply take the FIS

 

 

 

 

back