Lesson 9-2

Pythagorean Theorem and Its Converse

Today’s Goals
Explore Proving the Pythagorean Theorem ● Use the Pythagorean
Theorem to solve
Online Activity​  Use dynamic geometry software to complete problems involving
the Explore. right triangles.
● Classify triangles using
the converse of the
 INQUIRY How can you use triangle similarity
Pythagorean Theorem.
to prove the Pythagorean Theorem?
Today’s Vocabulary
Pythagorean triple
Learn The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem relates the lengths of the hypotenuse and
legs of a right triangle.
Theorem 9.4: Pythagorean Theorem
In a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs is
equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse.

Go Online A proof of the Pythagorean Theorem is available.

A Pythagorean triple is a set of three nonzero whole numbers a, b, and c,
such that a2 + b2 = c2. The most common Pythagorean triples are shown
below in the first row. The triples below them are found by multiplying each
number in the triple by the same factor.

Common Pythagorean Triples

3, 4, 5 5, 12, 13 8, 15, 17 7, 24, 25 Math History
Minute
6, 8, 10 10, 24, 26 16, 30, 34 14, 48, 50
The Pythagorean
9, 12, 15 15, 36, 39 24, 45, 51 21, 72, 75
Theorem is named
3x, 4x, 5x 5x, 12x, 13x 8x, 15x, 17x 7x, 24x, 25x
for the Greek
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

mathematician
Example 1 Find Missing Measures by Using the Pythagoras (c. 570 B.C.-
Pythagorean Theorem c. 495 B.C.), although
it is believed that
Find the value of x. 17 7 Babylonian,
The side opposite the right angle is Mesopotamian,
the hypotenuse, so c = x. Indian, and Chinese
x mathematicians all
a2 + b2 = c2 Pythagorean Theorem discovered the theorem
172 + 72 = x2 a = 17, b = 7, and c = x independently. To date,
289 + 49 = x2 Simplify. over 370 different
proofs of this theorem
338 = x2 Add.
____ have been verified,
√
​​ 338 ​​ = x
__
Take the positive square root of each side. including one written in
13​​√2 ​​ = x Simplify. 2006 by Iranian 14-year-
old Sina Shiehyan.
Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

Lesson 9-2 • Pythagorean Theorem and Its Converse 513

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Your Notes Example 2 Use a Pythagorean Triple
50
Use a Pythagorean triple to
Go Online find the value of x.
14 x
An alternate method is
available for this
example. Notice that 14 and 50 are both multiples of 2, because 14 = 2 ⋅ 7 and
50 = 2 ⋅ 25. Because 7, 24, 25 is a Pythagorean triple, the missing leg
length x is 2 ⋅ 24 or 48 .

Talk About It! Check 48

Draw a right triangle
Use a Pythagorean triple to
with side lengths that
find the value of x.
form a Pythagorean 20
triple. If you double the x
x = 52
length of each side, is
the resulting triangle
acute, right, or obtuse?
if you halve the length
of each side? Justify Example 3 Use the Pythagorean Theorem
your argument.
ZIP LINING A summer camp is building a new zip lining course. The
Right; sample answer: If designer of the course wants the last zip line to start at a platform
you double or halve the 450 meters above the ground and end 775 meters away from the
side lengths, all three base of the platform. How long must the zip line be to meet the
sides of the new triangles designer’s specifications?
are proportional to the Step 1 Visualize and describe the situation.
sides of the original
The base of the platform and the
triangle. Using the Side-
ground should be approximately
Side-Side Similarity
perpendicular. We need to find
Theorem, you know that
the length of the zip line, which 450 m
both of the new triangles
is the hypotenuse of the right
are similar to the original
triangle. Draw a diagram that
triangle, so they are both
models the situation.
right triangles.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

775 m
Step 2 Find the length of the zip line.

Think About It! Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length x of the zip line.
Is your answer 4502 + 7752 = x2 Pythagorean Theorem
reasonable? Use
202,500 + 600,625 = x2 Simplify.
estimation to justify
your reasoning. 803,125 = x2 Add.
_______
​√803,125 ​​ = x Take the positive square root of each side.
Yes; sample answer: _____
803,125 is approximately 25​​√1285 ​​ = x Simplify.
810,000. Because the ____
So, the length of the zip line is 25​​√1285 ​​ or about 896.17 meters.
square root of 810,000 is
900, it is reasonable that
the square root of 803,125
is 896.17.
Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

514 Module 9 • Right Triangles and Trigonometry

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Check
RAMPS Lincoln High School is installing more wheelchair ramps
around the school. One of the new ramps needs to have a base that is
12 feet long and reaches a height of 1 foot. If the side of the ramp forms
a right triangle, how long should the inclined surface of the ramp be?
Find____
the exact length of the inclined surface of the ramp.
√​​ 145 ​​ ft

Learn Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem

The converse of the Pythagorean Theorem also holds. You can use this
theorem to determine whether a triangle is a right triangle given the
measures of all three sides.
Theorem 9.5: Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem
Go Online
If the sum of the squares of the lengths of the shortest sides of a
A proof of Theorem 9.5
triangle is equal to the square of the length of the longest side, then
is available.
the triangle is a right triangle.

You can also use side lengths to classify a triangle as acute or obtuse.
Theorem 9.6
If the square of the length of the B
longest side of a triangle is less than
the sum of the squares of the lengths
of the other two sides, then the c
triangle is an acute triangle. a Study Tip
Example Determining the
Longest Side If the
If c2 < a2 + b2, then △ABC is acute. measures of any of the
C b A
sides of a triangle are
Theorem 9.7 expressed as radicals,
If the square of the B you may wish to use a
length of the longest side calculator to determine
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

of a triangle is greater c which side is the longest.

than the sum of the a
squares of the lengths of
the other two sides, then the C b A
triangle is an obtuse triangle.
Example
If c2 > a2 + b2, then △ABC is obtuse.

You will prove Theorems 9.6 and 9.7 in Exercises 23 and 24, respectively.

Lesson 9-2 • Pythagorean Theorem and Its Converse 515

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Example 4 Classify Triangles
Determine whether the points A(2, 2), B(5, 7), and C(10, 6) can be
the vertices of a triangle. If so, classify the triangle as acute, right, or
obtuse. Justify your answer.

Step 1 Calculate the measures of the sides.

¯,
¯, ​​ BC ​​
Use the Distance Formula to calculate the measures of ​​ AB ​​
¯
and ​ ​AC ​​.
____________________ ___________________
√  
AB = ​ (5 - 2)2 + (7 - 2)2 ​​ √
BC = ​ (10
   - 5)2 + (6 - 7)2 ​​
_________ __________
√
= ​ 32 + 52 ​​ = ​√5 + (-1)  ​​
2 2

__ __
Study Tip = ​√34 ​​ = ​√26 ​​
___________________
Approximations
When finding the side √
AC = ​ (10
   - 2)2 + (6 - 2)2 ​​
________
lengths of a triangle
using the Distance
√
= ​ 82 + 42 ​​
__
Formula, it may be
= ​√80 ​​
easier to work with the
__
side lengths after using
= 4​​√5 ​​
a calculator to
approximate their
Use a calculator to approximate the measure of each side. So,
measures. However,
AB ≈ 5.83, BC ≈ 5.10, and AC ≈ 8.94.
when classifying a
triangle, your final Step 2 Determine whether the measures can form a triangle.
calculations will be
more accurate if you Use the Triangle Inequality Theorem to determine whether the
keep the side lengths measures 5.83, 5.10, and 8.94 can form a triangle.
in radical form.
5.83 + 5.10 > 8.94 ✓  5.83 + 8.94 > 5.10 ✓  5.10 + 8.94 > 5.83 ✓

The side lengths 5.83, 5.10, and 8.94 can form a triangle.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Think About It! Step 3 Classify the triangle.
Does your conclusion
seem reasonable? Classify the triangle by comparing the square of the longest side to
Explain. the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
c2 ≟ a2 + b2 Compare c2 and a2 + b2.
2
Yes; sample answer: If you 8.942 ≟ 5.83 + 5.102 c = 8.94, a = 5.83, and b = 5.10
graph the triangle on the
79.9 > 60.0 Simplify and compare.
coordinate plane, it
appears to be obtuse. Because c2 > a2 + b2, the triangle is obtuse .

Check
Determine whether the points J(1, 6), K(3, 2), and L(5, 3) can be the
vertices of a triangle. If so, classify the triangle as acute, right, or
obtuse. yes; right

Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

516 Module 9 • Right Triangles and Trigonometry

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.