Pythagorean theorem

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This article is about classical geometry. For the baseball term, see pythagorean expectation.

Pythagorean theorem
The sum of the areas of the two squares on the legs (a and b) equals the area of the square on the
hypotenuse (c).

In mathematics, the Pythagorean theorem, also known as Pythagoras' theorem, is a

fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry among the three sides of a right triangle. It states
that the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the
squares of the other two sides. The theorem can be written as an equation relating the lengths of
the sides a, b and c, often called the "Pythagorean equation":[1]

Volume formulas
Volume
Shape Variables
formula

Cube a = length of any side (or edge)

Circular Cylinder r = radius of circular base, h = height

Prism B = area of the base, h = height

Cuboid l = length, w = width, h = height

b = base length of triangle, h = height of triangle, l = length of prism

Triangular prism
or distance between the triangular bases

Triangular prism (with a, b, and c = lengths of sides

given lengths of three
sides) h = height of the triangular prism

r = radius of sphere
Sphere d = diameter of sphere
which is the integral of the surface area of a sphere

Ellipsoid a, b, c = semi-axes of ellipsoid

r = minor radius (radius of the tube), R = major radius (distance

Torus
from center of tube to center of torus)

Pyramid B = area of the base, h = height of pyramid

Square pyramid s = side length of base, h = height

Rectangular pyramid l = length, w = width, h = height

Cone r = radius of circle at base, h = distance from base to tip or height

Regular tetrahedron[6]
Edge length,

a, b, and c are the parallelepiped edge lengths, and α, β, and γ are

Parallelepiped
the internal angles between the edges

h = any dimension of the figure, A(h) = area of the cross-sections

perpendicular to h described as a function of the position along h. a
Any volumetric sweep and b are the limits of integration for the volumetric sweep.
(calculus required)
(This will work for any figure if its cross-sectional area can be
determined from h).

Any rotated figure

(washer method; and are functions expressing the outer and inner
calculus required) radii of the function, respectively.
Volume ratios for a cone, sphere and cylinder of the same radius and
height

A cone, sphere and cylinder of radius r and height h

The above formulas can be used to show that the volumes of a cone, sphere and cylinder of the
same radius and height are in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3, as follows.

Let the radius be r and the height be h (which is 2r for the sphere), then the volume of cone is

the volume of the sphere is

while the volume of the cylinder is

The discovery of the 2 : 3 ratio of the volumes of the sphere and cylinder is credited to
Archimedes.[7]

Surface areas of common solids

Shape Equation Variables

Cube s = side length

Cuboid ℓ = length, w = width, h = height

 b = base length of triangle, h = height of triangle, l = distance between
Triangular prism
triangular bases, a, b, c = sides of triangle

All prisms B = the area of one base, P = the perimeter of one base, h = height

Sphere r = radius of sphere, d = diameter

Spherical lune r = radius of sphere, θ = dihedral angle

r = minor radius (radius of the tube), R = major radius (distance from

Torus
center of tube to center of torus)

Closed cylinder r = radius of the circular base, h = height of the cylinder

Lateral surface area of

a cone s = slant height of the cone,
r = radius of the circular base,
h = height of the cone
s = slant height of the cone,
Full surface area of a
cone r = radius of the circular base,
h = height of the cone
Pyramid B = area of base, P = perimeter of base, L = slant height

Square pyramid b = base length, s = slant height, h = vertical height

Rectangular pyramid ℓ = length, w = width, h = height

Tetrahedron a = side length

Ratio of surface areas of a sphere and cylinder of the same radius and
height

A cone, sphere and cylinder of radius r and height h.

The below given formulas can be used to show that the surface area of a sphere and cylinder of
the same radius and height are in the ratio 2 : 3, as follows.

Let the radius be r and the height be h (which is 2r for the sphere).

The discovery of this ratio is credited to Archimedes.[3]

Polygon names and miscellaneous properties

Name Edges Properties
Not generally recognised as a polygon,[11] although some
monogon 1
disciplines such as graph theory sometimes use the term.[12]
Not generally recognised as a polygon in the Euclidean plane,
digon 2
although it can exist as a spherical polygon.[13]
The simplest polygon which can exist in the Euclidean plane.
triangle (or trigon) 3
Can tile the plane.
The simplest polygon which can cross itself; the simplest
quadrilateral (or
4 polygon which can be concave; the simplest polygon which
tetragon)
can be non-cyclic. Can tile the plane.
[14]
The simplest polygon which can exist as a regular star. A
pentagon 5
star pentagon is known as a pentagram or pentacle.
[14]
hexagon 6 Can tile the plane.
[14]
The simplest polygon such that the regular form is not
heptagon (or septagon) 7 constructible with compass and straightedge. However, it can
be constructed using a Neusis construction.
[14]
octagon 8
[14]
"Nonagon" mixes Latin [novem = 9] with Greek,
nonagon (or enneagon) 9
"enneagon" is pure Greek.
[14]
decagon 10
 [14]
hendecagon (or The simplest polygon such that the regular form cannot be
11
undecagon) constructed with compass, straightedge, and angle trisector.
dodecagon (or [14]
12
duodecagon)
tridecagon (or [14]
13
triskaidecagon)
tetradecagon (or [14]
14
tetrakaidecagon)
pentadecagon (or [14]
15
pentakaidecagon)
hexadecagon (or [14]
16
hexakaidecagon)
heptadecagon (or
17 Constructible polygon[10]
heptakaidecagon)
octadecagon (or [14]
18
octakaidecagon)
enneadecagon (or [14]
19
enneakaidecagon)
[14]
icosagon 20
icositetragon (or [14]
24
icosikaitetragon)
[14]
triacontagon 30
tetracontagon (or [14][15]
40
tessaracontagon)
pentacontagon (or [14][15]
50
pentecontagon)
hexacontagon (or [14][15]
60
hexecontagon)
heptacontagon (or [14][15]
70
hebdomecontagon)
octacontagon (or [14][15]
80
ogdoëcontagon)
enneacontagon (or [14][15]
90
enenecontagon)
hectogon (or [14]
100
hecatontagon)[16]
257 Constructible polygon[10]
Philosophers including René Descartes,[17] Immanuel Kant,[18]
chiliagon 1000 David Hume,[19] have used the chiliagon as an example in
discussions.
Used as an example in some philosophical discussions, for
myriagon 10,000
example in Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy
65,537 Constructible polygon[10]
 As with René Descartes' example of the chiliagon, the million-
sided polygon has been used as an illustration of a well-
megagon[20][21][22] 1,000,000 defined concept that cannot be visualised.[23][24][25][26][27][28][29] The
megagon is also used as an illustration of the convergence of
regular polygons to a circle.[30]
apeirogon ∞ A degenerate polygon of infinitely many sides.