The new Pythagoras One of mathematics' best known theorems is
that which is attributed to Pythagoras. Pythagoras, however, had
a rival, named Pyfudgerous. He too had a theorem for working out
the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle from the length of the
other two sides. I am confident that readers will have no
difficulty, whatsoever, in working out the hypotenuse of a
right-angled triangle, if given measurements of the other two
sides. To prove the point, let us say that one of the shorter
sides in such a triangle is of length 9 cm and that the other is
of length 40 cm. What is the length of the hypotenuse ? Figure 1
contains the theorem that you probably used, namely: Figure 1
also features a second theorem that I suspect is new to you. It
too is a theorem for working out the length of the hypotenuse of
a right-angled triangle from the lengths of the other two sides.
This pythagorean alternative I have named Pyfudgerous because I
do not want you to trust it ! Try substituting in A = 9 cm and B
= 40 cm to