Name: ___________________________ pd: ______

Introduction to Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem is used to find a missing
side length on a _________ triangle

c FORMULA: ______________________________
a
Sides a and b are called the _________________
Side c is called the ____________________________
Always the LONGEST side
b Always diagonal from the 90 degrees right angle
Label the sides of the triangle with the vocabulary.

Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem

If a2+ b2= c 2 , then the triangle is a right triangle.

Step 1: Circle the hypotenuse (the biggest number). Example:

10 cm
Step 2: Does the legs squared = the hypotenuse squared? 8 cm
Step 3: Decide if it is a right triangle.
6 cm
Do the side lengths below belong on a right triangle? Show work to justify your answer.
1. 2. 3.
60 in 5 ft 12 ft 9 cm
16 in 4 cm

62 in 13 ft
5 cm

______________________ ______________________ ______________________

4. Mark said the triangle was a right triangle because the legs 5 + 10 = 15, the hypotenuse. Is he correct?
Why or why not? Explain your thinking.

15 in 10 in

5 in
 Finding sides of Right Triangles Example 1 3 cm
Step 1: Label the _____________________ and _______________________. Draw
an arrow across from the right angle. Circle the missing side.
Step 2: Substitute the known values into the 4 cm
____________________________ using the formula _________________________
Step 3: Solve for the missing ________________. Decide if you are
adding or subtracting. Don't forget to take the _____________________

For Questions #5 - , solving for the missing side length. Round to

the nearest tenth. Example 2
10 ft
5. 24 in
6 ft
6.

5 ft
25 in

12 ft
______________________ ______________________

7. 60 ft
6 cm 8. 9. 40 in

61 ft 30 in
7 cm

______________________ ______________________ ______________________

10. Denny is using a ladder to clean the outside of the house's windows. The ladder he is using is 24 feet long, and he puts the
base of the ladder 13 feet away from the house. How high up the side of his house does the ladder reach?
Draw a picture to help. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.
 Name: ___________________________ pd: ______
Introduction to Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem is used to find a missing
side length on a right
_________ triangle
hypotenuse
c a+b=c 2 2 2
FORMULA: ______________________________
a
leg
legs
Sides a and b are called the _________________
hypotenuse
Side c is called the ____________________________
Always the LONGEST side
b leg
Always diagonal from the 90 degrees right angle
Label the sides of the triangle with the vocabulary.

Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem

If a2+ b2= c 2 , then the triangle is a right triangle.
Example:
2
Step 1: Circle the hypotenuse (the biggest number). 6 2+ 8 2= 10 10 cm
8 cm
Step 2: Does the legs squared = the hypotenuse squared?
36 + 64 = 100
Step 3: Decide if it is a right triangle.
100 = 100
yes it is a right triangle! 6 cm
Do the side lengths below belong on a right triangle? Show work to justify your answer.
1. 2. 3.
60 in 5 ft 12 ft 9 cm
16 in 4 cm

62 in 13 ft
5 cm
3856 = 3844 No
______________________ 169 = 169 Yes
______________________ 41 = 81 No
______________________

4. Mark said the triangle was a right triangle because the legs 5 + 10 = 15, the hypotenuse. Is he correct?
Why or why not? Explain your thinking.

Sample answer: Mark is incorrect. He forgot to square the 15 in 10 in

numbers. It should be 25 + 100. The square root of 125 is
11.2. The hypotenuse should be 11.2 to make it a right
triangle instead of 15. 5 in
 Finding sides of Right Triangles a
Example 1 3 cm
hypotenuse (c) Draw
legs (a and b) and _______________________.
Step 1: Label the _____________________
an arrow across from the right angle. Circle the missing side. b
Step 2: Substitute the known values into the 2 2
2
3 + 4 = c2 2 2 4 cm c
Pythagorean a + b2= c
Theorem using the formula _________________________
____________________________
side 9 + 16 = c
Step 3: Solve for the missing ________________. Decide if you are
2
square root
adding or subtracting. Don't forget to take the _____________________ 25 = c
5=c
For Questions #5 - , solving for the missing side length. Round to
the nearest tenth. Example 2
10 ft
5. 24 in
6 ft c
6.
2 2 2 a
10 - 6 = b 2
5 ft b
25 in 100 - 36 = b
2

12 ft
64 = b
8=b
c = 13 ft
______________________ a = 7 ft
______________________

7. 60 ft
6 cm 8. 9. 40 in

61 ft 30 in
7 cm

c = 9.2 cm
______________________ b = 11 ft
______________________ c = 50 in
______________________

10. Denny is using a ladder to clean the outside of the house's windows. The ladder he is using is 24 feet long, and he puts the
base of the ladder 12 feet away from the house. How high up the side of his house does the ladder reach?
Draw a picture to help. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.

20.8 feet