How old is the (Pythagorean) theorem?

This is an introductory lesson in a series of lessons on Pythagoras' theorem. Students learn about Pythagoras’ theorem and its application in calculating lengths in right-angled triangles. They explore the statement of the theorem, some of its history, a simple geometric proof and visual demonstrations of the theorem. Students apply the theorem to the two types of problem calculating the length of the third side of a right-angled triangle, given the lengths of the other two sides.

Resource details
Year level
Year 8
Purpose
Teaching resource
Strand
Number Measurement
Topic
Pythagoras and trigonometry
Audience
Teachers
Format
Webpage
Australian Curriculum code
AC9M8N01 AC9M8M06
Numeracy progression
Understanding geometric properties (P7) Understanding units of measurement (P10) Multiplicative strategies (P9)
Publisher
Commonwealth of Australia
Copyright
© 2024 Commonwealth of Australia. Creative Commons BY 4.0.
Keywords
problem solving triangle
Other terms
right-angled triangles Maths Hub lesson plan