What are some interactive ways to present the Pythagroas Theorem?

Question

We want a way to interact with our class while presenting the Pythagoras Theorem. Sorry it's in the wrong category!

Answer 1

Have them make a right triangle with 3 pieces of different color yarn one being like 5in long for the hypot. and 4 for the length and 3 for the height. Then show them the formula explain it and tell them to calculate the hypot.. with the formula and then show them by they were right by measuring the string.

Or if you don't want to mess with string just draw and example on an over head using like 3cm 4cm and 5cm with different color marker and then turn it on with two sides labeled and have them work out the solution walk around check everyones and then show them they were right or correct them.

Answer 2

Have the students draw right angled triangles on sheets of heavy card stock. Then have them draw squares out from each side. Label the squares (L for leg and H for hypotenuse). Cut the squares out of the sheet and weigh them. If you have a balance that can hold the "L" squares on one pan and the "H" square on the other pan you can compare the weights without having to use numbers. Of course the goal is to have the weight be equal. Encourage each student or team to draw a triangle with different proportions. Finally you might want one or two teams to repeat the experiment with triangles which are not right angled to show that the theorem is special for right triangles.

If you don't have a balance the students could just measure the sides of the squares and multiply to get the areas. They could also cut the small squares into strips and try to make them fit inside the big square but that would probably be frustrating.

If they worked on graph paper they could get approximate values for the areas by counting squares. The smaller the grid the better.

Emphasize that when you try to test a theorem by measuring physical things, there are bound to be errors in measurement and that results will not be exact.

Answer 3

triangulate. it is how pythagoreas developed the theorem. the nile farms on the bank were flooded and wiped outs each time the nile overflowed. what remained were trees serving as landmarks. they were thus used to serve as nodes of triangles to reconstruct the divisions among farmers and residents. make a model of this then dramatize simulated flooding and reconstruction. or build a pyramid with a tree and a stone used for scaling. it sure would make an impressive presentation with practical appreciation

Answer 4

You know its weird but they actually have a storybook of pythagriam's theorem. I would suggest making a slightly chessy storybook and show how it was applied and then demonstrage a 3,4,5 triangle

Answer 5

do the 3,4,5 thing, dog