The Pythagorean Theorem
- Author:
- Andy Norton
Part 1: Mental Actions & Transformational Geometry
Move point A down to Point C so that you have a square. How is this square area constructed?
Now move Point A up. What relationships change and what relationships remain invariant?
Can you use these mental actions/transformations to provide an argument for the Pythagorean Theorem?
Part 2: Euclidean Geometry
Use the figure below to formulate a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem.
What assumptions do you make? Can you prove those assumptions?
Compare your proof and assumptions to Euclid's:
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/bookI/bookI.html