Math Doctor

The Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem applies to right triangles.

a² + b² = c²

The variable c represents the hypotenuse.

Example

If one side is 3 and another side is 4:

3² + 4² = 9 + 16 = 25

c = 5

Historical Note

The theorem is named after the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, although versions were known earlier in other civilizations.