Take the WOO Name:
Section:
Date:
Number: Pythagorean Theorem
Part I: Notes The Pythagorean Theorem lets us solve for sides of a
triangle that
we don’t know. c a
b Part II: How to Use When you are solving problems involving right triangles, remember the acronym DSSIS for the 5 steps of the solution process. This stands for: 1. Draw a picture 2. 3. Simplify 4. 5. Square root Problem 1: A 20 foot ladder is leaned against a wall. If the base of the ladder is 8 feet from the wall, how high up the wall will the ladder reach.
STEP 1
DRAW A PICTURE
STEP 2
SUBSTITUTE THE KNOWN SIDES
STEP 3
SIMPLIFY
STEP 4
ISOLATE THE VARIABLE
STEP 5
SQUARE ROOT
Take the WOO Name:
Section:
Date: Number: Problem 2: Two friends walk away from each other at a 90 degree angle. They both walk 12 feet away, then they stop. When they stop, how far apart are they?
STEP 1
DRAW A PICTURE
STEP 2
SUBSTITUTE THE KNOWN SIDES
STEP 3
SIMPLIFY
STEP 4
ISOLATE THE VARIABLE
STEP 5
SQUARE ROOT
Problem 3: A tree that is 8 feet tall casts a 6 foot shadow. A ladder is placed at the end of the shadow to the top of the tree. What is the length of the ladder?
STEP 1
DRAW A PICTURE
STEP 2
SUBSTITUTE THE KNOWN SIDES
STEP 3
SIMPLIFY
STEP 4
ISOLATE THE VARIABLE
STEP 5
SQUARE ROOT
Part III: Your Turn
Take the WOO Name:
Section:
Date:
Number:
Directions: Solve the following problems using the Pythagorean Theorem. Refer to the steps we just went over to help you solve them. 1. One leg of a right triangle is 10 inches. The other leg is 12 inches. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
2. One leg of a right triangle is 3.54 meters. The hypotenuse is 5 meters. What is the length of the other leg?
3. Firefighters have a 17-foot extension ladder. In order to reach 15 feet up a building, how far away from the building should the foot of the ladder be placed?
4. George rides his bike in one direction for 9 miles. Then takes a 90 degree turn and bikes for 12 miles. How far is he from his starting point?
5. Donna's TV screen is 20 inches tall. If the diagonal measures 25 inches, what is the width of Donna's TV?