Question

In the Pythagorean Theorem, the “c” represents the difference of the legs of the right triangle.

True/False

Answer 1

Any ideas?

Answer 2

figure?

Answer 3

There is no figure.

Answer 4

$$\Huge a^2+b^2=c^2$$

Answer 5

So, it's true?

Answer 6

no

Answer 7

c is the sum of the squares, right?

Answer 8

So, the c represents the hypotenuse?

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

c is a letter
it can represent anything

Answer 11

sometimes it is the speed of light as in \(E=MC^2\)

Answer 12

$$\Huge a^2+b^2=c^2$$ This is the standard abc representation of the theorem

Answer 13

@skullpatrol knows better
\[\Huge a^2+b^2=c^2\] is not a theorem, it is an equation
it can either be true, for example if \(a=3,b=4,c=5\) or it can be false, for example \(a=10,b=1,c=\pi\)

Answer 14

a theorem is not an equation
a theorem says "if something is true, then something else is true" the "something else" part can be an equation

Answer 15

theorem: A statement that is shown to be true by a logically developed argument.

Answer 16

if you label the sides of a right triangle, then fine, that is the "if" part

Answer 17

"if \(a, b, c\) are the lengths of the legs resp hypotenuse of a right triangle, then \(a^2+b^2=c^2\)" is a theorem
\[a^2+b^2=c^2\] is not

Answer 18

The question asks:

In the Pythagorean Theorem, the “c” represents the difference of the legs of the right triangle.

True/False

You will have to make some standard assumptions to make any sense of this question, if you don't you cannot answer it.

Answer 19

frankly the math teacher who wrote this nonsense should be removed from the classroom
no wonder students don't know the difference between a theorem and an equation, let alone understand what a variable is

Answer 20

True dat^

Answer 21

But until that happens we have to work with what we got :-)

Answer 22

yeah true dat too (unfortunately)