Pythagorean Triples
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- Jul 30 2010 2:54 PM
Elisa Ramirez // Elisa Ramirez
This resource was matched by a member of the Brokers of Expertise standards matching team.
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- Original Source:Illuminations
Conditions of Use:None Specified
Description
This activity, reviewed for grades 9-12 by Illuminations, explores Pythagorean Triples, that is, triples of numbers so that a2+b2=c2. An applet is provided, showing a line passing through (-1, 0) and a point with integral coordinates. The point where the line intersects the unit circle is used to generate a right triangle, and subsequently a Pythagorean Triple is generated. This example shows an interesting connection between geometry, algebra, and number theory. A complete mathematical explanation is given, showing why this works. While the proof provided may be a little difficult for high school students to follow, an advanced class might be asked to try to make sense of what is happening. Less
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Grade: 9 to 12
Topics: Number Sense, Geometry, Mathematics, Algebra & Functions
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