Pythagorean theorem straightedge and compass. Pythagoras's theorem enables construction of incommensurable lengths because the hypotenuse of a triangle is related to the sides by the square root operation. The figure on the right shows how to construct line segments whose lengths are in the ratio of the square root of any positive integer. Each triangle has a side (labeled "1") that is the chosen unit for measurement. In each right triangle, Pythagoras's theorem establishes the length of the hypotenuse in terms of this unit. If a hypotenuse is related to the unit by the square root of a positive integer that is
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