Investigating Mathematics with GeoGebra

Henrico County Public Schools

Pythagorean Theorem Puzzle

READ the instructions on the right and INTERACT with the GeoGebra applet below.

Sorry, the GeoGebra Applet could not be started. Please install Java 1.4 (or later) to use this page.

Investigation Steps

Click on the reset icon icon to reset the diagram.

  1. You can prove the square of side a plus the square of side b of a triangle equal to the square of side c.

  2. This can be done by moving the green quadrilaterals and the blue square to cover the large orange square.

  3. Dragging a blue point, moves the figure. Dragging a green point rotates the figure.

  4. Dragging point C, changes the size of the legs of the triangle.

  5. After completing the puzzle, move point C. Observe what happens.
    Is this relationship always true for any right triangle? Why?