Interactive Pythagorean Theorem

What is the Pythagorean Theorem?

The Pythagorean theorem is a fundamental geometric principle stating that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

Historical Background

The theorem was known to ancient civilizations, with earliest records dating back to ancient 11th century BCE in China, recorded in the Zhoubi Suanjing. In Western tradition, it's named after the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, though there's debate about whether he was the first to prove it.

Applications

• Measurements and layouts in construction and engineering
• Navigation and geographic positioning systems
• Distance calculations in computer graphics
• Vector decomposition in physics
• Security algorithms in cryptography

Current Calculation