The Pythagorean theorem is one of the most fundamental theorems in mathematics. It states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
Formula
- ( a^2 + b^2 = c^2 ) where ( a ) and ( b ) are the lengths of the two shorter sides, and ( c ) is the length of the hypotenuse.
Applications
The Pythagorean theorem has a wide range of applications in various fields such as architecture, engineering, and physics. It is also used in computer graphics to calculate distances and for rendering 3D scenes.
History
The theorem is named after the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras, who is credited with its first recorded proof. However, there are evidence that the theorem was known to ancient Babylonians and Indian mathematicians even before Pythagoras.
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