Question

Todd has created the following diagram to prove the Pythagorean theorem. He drew right

AABC with leg lengths a and b and hypotenuse length c. Then he drew altitude CZ to the
hypotenuse. He determines that
Then he determines that cx = a? and
cy = 62. What is the next step in proving the theorem?
² = a² +6²
c(x + y) = a? + 62
cx + cy= 22 + 62
ZY
CX = cy

Answer 1

cx +cy = a² + b²

Explanation:

In the end, he wants to show that c² = a²+b², so he will want to form the sum a²+b². That sum can be formed by adding the expressions for a² and b² just found:

cx +cy = a² + b² . . . . . . . Todd's next step

__

Then the following steps are ...

c(x+y) = a² + b²

c² = a² + b²