Integer triangle we today use the term Heronian triangle; Somos uses it to refer to triangles whose ratios of sides are rational; Conway and Guy define a rational triangle as one with rational sides and rational angles measured in degrees—in which case the only rational triangle is the rational-sided equilateral triangle. There are various general properties for an integer triangle, given in the first section below. All other sections refer to classes of integer triangles with specific properties. Any triple of positive integers can serve as the side lengths of an integer triangle as long as it satisfies the triangle inequality: the
Triangle inequality angles satisfy: Therefore, and so, in particular, That means side opposite angle is shorter than side opposite the larger angle . But . Hence: A similar construction shows , establishing the theorem. An alternative proof (also based upon the triangle postulate) proceeds by considering three positions for point : (i) as depicted (which is to be proven), or (ii) coincident with (which would mean the isosceles triangle had two right angles as base angles plus the vertex angle , which would violate the triangle postulate), or lastly, (iii) interior to the right triangle between points and (in which case angle