Cracking the Pythagoras Code

Cracking the Pythagoras Code

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to calculate the hypotenuse of any given right-angled triangle.

What do you already know about right-angled triangles?

What is the Pythagoras Theorem?

The Pythagoras Theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

Understanding Right-Angled Triangles

A right-angled triangle has one angle measuring 90 degrees, which is called the right angle.

Identifying the Hypotenuse

The hypotenuse is the side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle.

Calculating the Hypotenuse

To calculate the hypotenuse, we can use the Pythagoras Theorem: c^2 = a^2 + b^2

Example 1

Given a = 3 and b = 4, calculate the hypotenuse (c).

Example 2

Given a = 5 and c = 13, calculate the missing side (b).

Interactive Exercise

Solve the following right-angled triangle: a = 8, b = ? and c = 17.

Real-Life Applications

The Pythagoras Theorem is used in various fields such as architecture, engineering, and navigation.

Summary

The Pythagoras Theorem helps us calculate the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle using a^2 + b^2 = c^2.

Assessment

Complete the worksheet provided to practice calculating the hypotenuse of right-angled triangles.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.