Pythagorean Theorem Review

In order to understand the Pythagorean Theorem, it's important that you know the different parts of a right triangle.  

The two sides that form the 90 degree angle are called the legs.  These two sides are always the shortest two sides of the right triangle.  

The side that is across from the right angle is called the hypotenuse. The hypotenuse is always the longest side of the right triangle.

Hint: The right angle symbol is always "pointing to" the hypotenuse.

The Pythagorean Theorem describes a special relationship between the sides of a right triangle and can be used to find a missing side of a right triangle.

If we know any two sides of a right triangle, it allows us to find the missing third side.  You can use it if you're missing a leg or if you're missing the hypotenuse.  

Step 1: Identify the values of a, b, and c.  
Step 2: Plug a, b, and c into the Pythagorean Theorem.
Step 3: Simplify the equation.
Step 4: Solve for the missing value.

1

What is the length of a garden hose that is stretched diagonally corner-to-corner across a yard that measures 72 meters long and 60 meters wide? Round to the nearest meter.

1

You’re locked out of your house. The only open window is on the second floor, 25 feet above the ground. There are bushes along the edge of the house, so you will need to place the ladder 10 feet from the house. What length ladder do you need to reach the window? Round to the nearest tenths place.

1

You’ve just picked up a ground ball at first base, and you see the other team’s player running toward third base. How far do you have to throw the ball to get it from first base to third base, throwing the runner out? The distance between each base is 90 ft. Round to the nearest tenths place.

1

What is the length of a garden hose that is stretched diagonally corner-to-corner across a yard that measures 72 meters long and 60 meters wide? Round to the nearest meter.

You’re locked out of your house. The only open window is on the second floor, 25 feet above the ground. There are bushes along the edge of the house, so you will need to place the ladder 10 feet from the house. What length ladder do you need to reach the window? Round to the nearest tenths place.

You’ve just picked up a ground ball at first base, and you see the other team’s player running toward third base. How far do you have to throw the ball to get it from first base to third base, throwing the runner out? The distance between each base is 90 ft. Round to the nearest tenths place.

The diagonal of a TV screen is 26 inches. The screen is 18.8 inches wide. How high is the screen? Round to the nearest hundredths place.