Pythagorean Theorem

Set 1.4
David Cohen

I know how to use the Pythagorean Theorem. I simply want to know the reason for this exercise.

 

the reason:
you have 7 right triangles
first triangle has hypothenuse a, legs of length 1
so, a=sqrt(1^2+1^2)=sqrt(2)

now, when you know a, you can find b using same method

use same method to find all

 

Basically, we are repeatedly applying the Pythagorean Theorem.