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In mathematics, the Pythagorean theorem or Pythagoras' theorem is a fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry between the three sides of a right triangle. It states that the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle ) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares on the other two sides.
In a right triangle, the hypotenuse is the side that is opposite the right angle, while the other two sides are called the catheti or legs. [7] The length of the hypotenuse can be calculated using the square root function implied by the Pythagorean theorem. It states that the sum of the two legs squared equals the hypotenuse squared.
The three sides of a right triangle are related by the Pythagorean theorem, which in modern algebraic notation can be written a 2 + b 2 = c 2 , {\displaystyle a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2},} where c {\displaystyle c} is the length of the hypotenuse (side opposite the right angle), and a {\displaystyle a} and b {\displaystyle b} are the lengths of the legs ...
the third side of a triangle if two sides and an angle opposite to one of them is known (this side can also be found by two applications of the law of sines): [a] = . These formulas produce high round-off errors in floating point calculations if the triangle is very acute, i.e., if c is small relative to a and b or γ is small compared to 1.
Two sides and an angle not included between them (SSA), if the side length adjacent to the angle is shorter than the other side length. A side and the two angles adjacent to it (ASA) A side, the angle opposite to it and an angle adjacent to it (AAS). For all cases in the plane, at least one of the side lengths must be specified.
In this example, the triangle's side lengths and area are integers, making it a Heronian triangle. However, Heron's formula works equally well when the side lengths are real numbers. As long as they obey the strict triangle inequality, they define a triangle in the Euclidean plane whose area is a positive real number.
Various methods may be used in practice, depending on what is known about the triangle. Other frequently used formulas for the area of a triangle use trigonometry, side lengths (Heron's formula), vectors, coordinates, line integrals, Pick's theorem, or other properties. [3]
The adjacent leg is the other side that is adjacent to angle A. The opposite side is the side that is opposite to angle A. The terms perpendicular and base are sometimes used for the opposite and adjacent sides respectively. See below under Mnemonics. Sine (denoted sin), defined as the ratio of the side opposite the angle to the hypotenuse.