Pythagorean theorem four elementary lemmata: Next, each top square is related to a triangle congruent with another triangle related in turn to one of two rectangles making up the lower square. The proof is as follows: This proof, which appears in Euclid's "Elements" as that of Proposition 47 in Book 1, demonstrates that the area of the square on the hypotenuse is the sum of the areas of the other two squares. This is quite distinct from the proof by similarity of triangles, which is conjectured to be the proof that Pythagoras used. We have already discussed the Pythagorean proof, which was
Fermat's right triangle theorem and the other is odd. Therefore, both formula_39 and formula_40 are even, one of which is divisible by 4. From these two numbers Fermat derives two more numbers formula_41 and formula_42, one of which is even by the previous sentence. Because formula_43 is a square, formula_44 and formula_45 are the legs of another primitive Pythagorean triangle whose area formula_46. Since formula_27 is itself a square and since formula_48 is even, formula_49 is a square. Thus, any Pythagorean triangle with square area leads to a smaller Pythagorean triangle with square area, completing the proof. Fermat's right triangle theorem Fermat's right triangle