Question #72737

1 Answer
Sep 30, 2014

The equation #a^2+b^2=c^2# is Pythogoras' Theorem, otherwise known as the Pythagorean theorem and it is used to find the missing side of right and angled triangles. The longest side, or the hypotenuse, is always denoted as side #c# while the other two sides are denoted #a# and #b#.

The equation can be modified to find any side of a right angled triangle, for example #c^2+b^2= a^2#

To find the missing side, you square the existing sides, and find the square root of the side #c^2#. However, this only works when the equation is in the form #a^2+b^2=c^2#