Understanding the Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the

hypotenuse (the longest side, c) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two

sides (the legs, a and b), represented by the formula: a² + b² = c².

To use it, square the lengths of the two legs, add the results, and then take the

square root of the sum to find the length of the hypotenuse. You can also use the formula to find

a missing leg if the other leg and the hypotenuse are known