Pythagoras twisted squares: Why did they not teach you any of this in school? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The twisted square diagram holds secrets such as alternative proofs of Pythagoras' theorem, the Trithagorean theorem for 60-degree triangles, and applications to other mathematical concepts.

Key Insights

• 🔀 The twisted square diagram offers alternative proofs for Pythagoras' theorem and the Trithagorean theorem for 60-degree triangles.
• 👨‍💼 The diagram can also be used to derive the Hexagorean theorem for 120-degree triangles and the addition formula for sine.
• 🥺 The twisted square diagram has applications in problems involving bugs chasing each other, leading to surprising results such as finite path lengths.

Transcript

Welcome to another Mathologer   video. You are all familiar with the diagram over there, right? Yes, of course, it’s the diagram powering the Mathologer logo :) Yeees, but that’s not really it, right? I am sure for the majority of people watching this video this diagram will scream "Pythagoras". If this is not the case, ask for your money back from... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the twisted square diagram provide an alternative proof for Pythagoras' theorem?

The diagram shows that the area of the squares on the sides of a right-angled triangle is equal to the area of the square on the hypotenuse, providing a visual proof of the theorem.

Q: What is the Trithagorean theorem for 60-degree triangles?

The Trithagorean theorem states that in a 60-degree triangle, the sum of the areas of the smaller equilateral triangles formed by its sides is equal to the area of the original triangle.

Q: How does the twisted square diagram connect to the addition formula for sine?

By analyzing the areas of the blue regions in the diagram, it is possible to derive the addition formula for sine, which relates the sine of the sum of two angles to the sines of the individual angles.

Q: What surprising results arise from the bug chasing problem in the twisted square diagram?

The bugs' paths form squares that infinitely shrink in size and wind around the center, but their total path lengths are finite and equal to the original distance between the bugs.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The twisted square diagram provides alternative proofs of Pythagoras' theorem, revealing the connection between the areas of squares and triangles.

• The diagram can also be used to prove the Trithagorean theorem for 60-degree triangles, showing the relationship between the areas of equilateral triangles.

• The diagram can be further expanded to show the Hexagorean theorem for 120-degree triangles and the addition formula for sine.

• The diagram also has applications in problems involving bugs chasing each other around a square, leading to surprising results such as finite path lengths.