Chapter

1
Pythagorean
Relationship
Wind can affect plane landings and
takeoffs, fuel consumption, and
navigation. Wind gusts may force a pilot
to adjust the approach to landing on a
runway. Strong headwinds change an
airplane’s fuel consumption, since the
engines burn more fuel flying against
the wind. Crosswinds affect the
direction a plane flies to get to its final
destination.
Pilots and computer programmers
who design air navigation systems use
mathematics to determine how the
direction and speed of the wind will
affect the direction of the airplane relative to
the ground. In this chapter, you will learn about
one of the key math concepts that helps pilots
navigate and adjust for wind effects.

Big Idea
You can use patterns and number sense to
identify and describe relationships in right
triangles and squares.

Inquire and Explore

• How is squaring a number related to taking the
square root of a number?
• How are the side lengths of a right triangle
related to square and square roots of numbers?
• What pattern can you generalize to make a rule
about the side lengths of right triangles?

2 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

y
10°
20°
30 30°
Crosswind Speed (knots)

tion
40° Wind speed/direc
Airspeed/heading
50°
20
60°
urse
10 70° Ground speed/co
80°

0 10 20 30 x

Headwind Speed (knots)

Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 3

Get Ready
Factors

Factors are numbers that are multiplied to produce a specific product. For example, 2 and 5 are factors
of 10, since 2 × 5 = 10. You can use a factor tree to write a composite number as the product of its
prime factors. Many composite numbers have different factor trees depending on which factor pair
you start with. Here are two possible factor trees for the number 48.
48 48 A composite number
has factors other than 1
6 8 4 12 and itself.

2 3 2 4 2 2 3 4

2 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2

Therefore, you can express 48 as a product of its prime factors. A prime number has
only two different
48 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 factors, 1 and itself.

The factor pairs of 48 are 1 and 48, 2 and 24, 3 and 16, 4 and 12, and 6 and 8.

1. a) Use a factor tree to write 80 as a product of 4. What is the smallest number that has exactly
prime factors. 8 factors?
b) List the factor pairs of 80.
5. a) List all the factors of 54. Write 54 as a
2. List the factor pairs of 18. Show your thinking. product of prime factors.
b) How are the resulting numbers the same?
3. The factors of a number are 1, 2, 3, and 6. What How are they different? What do you notice?
could the number be?

Perimeter and Area

The perimeter of a polygon is a measure of the distance around

the geometric shape.
2 cm
The area of an object is a measure of how much space a two-
dimensional surface covers.
Determine the perimeter and area of the rectangle shown. 4 cm

P = 2l + 2w A = lw
P=2×4+2×2 A=4×2
P=8+4 A=8
P = 12 The area is 8 cm2.
The perimeter is 12 cm.

4 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

6. Determine the perimeter and area of each 7. Are there other rectangles that have an area of
polygon. 8 cm2 but have different dimensions than the
a) b) one shown on the previous page? Explain.
4 cm

9 cm
9m

Numbers Between

The whole numbers between 9 and 16 are 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. 12.5

The difference between 9 and 16 is 7. 16 − 9 = 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Half of this difference is 3.5. 7 ÷ 2 = 3.5
The number 12.5 is halfway between 9 and 16. 9 + 3.5 = 12.5

8. Use a number line to list the whole numbers 9. What number is halfway between each of the
between numbers in #8?
a) 16 and 25
10. 12.5 is halfway between 9 and 16. When is the
b) 36 and 49 number that is halfway between two whole
numbers itself a whole number?

Solving Equations

An equation is a mathematical statement that the

x+5=8
values of two expressions are equal. You can use
x=3
mental math to solve simple algebraic equations.
This method of solving is known as inspection.
To solve an equation, isolate the variable on one 5x + 7 = 22
side of the equal sign. When undoing the 5x + 7 − 7 = 22 − 7 Reverse the addition of 7 by
operations performed on the variable, follow the 5x = 15 subtracting 7.

reverse order of operations: 5x = __

__ 15 Reverse the multiplication of the
5 5 variable with 5 by dividing by 5.
• subtract and add x=3
• multiply and divide

11. Solve by inspection. 13. Show the steps you would use to solve each
a) x − 3 = 10 b) 4 + x = 12 equation. Explain each step.
a) 2x = 18 b) 3x + 2 = 11
12. Describe how to use inspection to solve the
c) 15 + 4x = 35 d) 7 + 6x = 31
equation 4x = 32.

Get Ready • MHR 5

1.1
Squares and Square Roots
Focus On…
In this lesson, I will learn to
• use multiple strategies to
identify square numbers
• determine the square root
of a number using mental
math, visualization, and
number sense
• estimate the square root
of a number

Square shapes are all around us—in game boards, ceiling tiles, and even crackers.
The specific properties of square shapes make it easy to calculate their areas or
side lengths. How are the area and side lengths of square cracker rectangles
perfect square related to working with perfect square numbers?
• a number that is the
product of the same
two factors
• has an even number of
each prime factor
Explore and Analyze
• 5 × 5 = 25, so 25 is a
perfect square
1. Which of the rectangles above can be rearranged into a square? How did
you determine this?

2. For one of the rectangles that cannot be rearranged into a square, estimate
the side length of a square with the same area.

3. If you were given the area of a rectangle made out of square crackers,
how might you determine whether it could be formed into a square?

4. How can prime factors help you determine whether a number is a

perfect square?

6 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Develop Understanding
Example 1: Identify Perfect Squares
a) Determine the prime factorization of 24, 36, and 81. prime factorization
b) Which of the numbers is a perfect square? Explain. • a number written as
c) For each perfect square, draw the square and label its side length. the product of its prime
factors
Solution • the prime factorization of
18 is 2 × 3 × 3 or 2 × 32
a) 24 36 81 How would the factor
tree for 36 be different if
4 6 4 9 9 9 you started with 3 × 12?
Would you end up with
2 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 the same prime factors?
24 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 36 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 81 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3

b) To be a perfect square, each prime factor in the prime factorization must

occur an even number of times. 36 and 81 are perfect squares because each
prime factor occurs an even number of times.
36 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 two factors of 2, two factors of 3

81 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 four factors of 3

24 is not a perfect square because at least one of the prime factors occurs an
odd number of times.
24 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 three factors of 2, one factor of 3

c) To determine the side length of the squares, look at the product of prime
factors for the area. Rearrange the prime factors into two equal groups.
36 = 2 × 3 × 2 × 3 81 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3
36 = 6 × 6 81 = 9 × 9

6
9

Show You Know

Write the prime factorization of each number. Which number is not a perfect
square? Explain how you know.
a) 45 b) 100

1.1 Squares and Square Roots • MHR 7

Example 2: Determine the Square Root of a Perfect Square
Edgar knows that the face of the square case
for his computer game has an area of 144 cm2.
What is the side length of the case? BUILDING
SCAPE
144 cm2
Solution
Method 1: Use Inspection
To find the side length, determine what
positive number when multiplied by itself
equals 144.
12 × 12 = 144 ____
square root The square root of 144 is 12, or √ 144 = 12.
• a number that when
The side length is 12 cm.
multiplied by itself
equals a given value
_ Method 2: Use Guess and Check
• symbol is √
• 6 is the square root of Find the positive value for the blank boxes.
because 6 × 6 = 36,
36___
√ 36 = 6 ◼ × ◼ = 144
10 × 10 = 100 Too low.
13 × 13 = 169 Too high.
12 × 12 = 144____
Correct!
12 = √ 144
The side length is 12 cm.
Method 3: Use Prime Factorization
144
The prime factorization of 144 is
2 72
2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3.
2 8 9
Rearrange the prime factors into two
equal groups. 2 2 4 3 3

144 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 2 × 2 × 3 2 2 2 2 3 3
144 = 12 × 12
____
√ 144 = 12

The side length is 12 cm.

Show You Know

Determine the side length of a square with an area of 196 cm2. Which method
did you choose? Why?

8 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Example 3: Estimate the Square Root of a Number
a) What is a reasonable estimate for the side length of the middle square?
Use perfect squares to estimate. Give your answer to one decimal place.

40 units2 ? 49 units2 7
36 units2 6

6 ? 7

b) Use a calculator to approximate the side length of the middle square, to one
decimal place. Compare this approximation to your estimate in part a).

Solution
a) The side length of the middle square is the square root of 40. The perfect
squares on either side of 40 are 36 and 49.

49 units2
36 units2
40 units2

Since 40 is closer to 36 than to 49, it is reasonable to estimate that the square

root of 40 is closer to the square root of 36.
36 40 49

6 6.5 7

An estimate for the side length of the middle square is 6.2 units.
b) Approximate the square root of 40 with a calculator.

40 6.32455532

The answer to one decimal place is 6.3 units. This answer is very close to the
estimate of 6.2 units.

Show You Know

Use perfect squares to estimate the square root to one decimal place.
Check your answer with a calculator.
___ ___ ___
a) √ 18 b) √ 23 c) √ 35

1.1 Squares and Square Roots • MHR 9

Connect and Reflect

Key Ideas
• The square of a number is the number multiplied by itself. The square of a whole number
is a perfect square. 4 × 4 = 16 or 42 = 16, so 16 is a perfect square.
• You can think of the square of a number as the area of a square whose side length is that
number.

square root
or side length
A = 16 cm2
4 cm

square of a
number

___
• You can think of the square root of a number as the side length of a square. So, √ 16 = 4.
• To estimate the square root of a whole number that is not a perfect square, use the roots
of the perfect squares on either side of the number.
___
For example, estimate the square root of 17: √ 17 ≈ 4.1

16 17 25

4 4.5 5

• In the prime factorization of a perfect square, there is an even number of each prime factor.

Practise

For help with #1 to #4, refer to Example 1 on page 7. 2. The prime factorization of 72 is
2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3. How could you use
1. a) What is the area of the rectangle below?
the factors to determine whether 72 is
b) Determine the prime factorization of the a perfect square?
area you calculated in part a).
c) Is the area a perfect square number? 3. Write the prime factorization of each number.
Explain your thinking. Identify the numbers that are perfect squares.
d) What are the dimensions of a square with a) 42 b) 169 c) 256
the same area as this rectangle?
4. Determine the prime factorization of each
10 cm number. Which numbers are perfect squares?
Show how you know.
40 cm
a) 144 b) 60 c) 40

10 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

For help with #5 to #8, refer to Example 2 on page 8. 8. Determine the square root.
__ ___ _____
a) √9 b) √ 25 c) √ 1600
5. What is the side length of the square?
For help with #9 and #10, refer to Example 3 on page 9.

64 mm2 9. Place each number on a number line between

the two nearest perfect squares. Then estimate
the square root of each number to one decimal
place. Check your estimates with a calculator.
6. Determine the side length of a square with an a) 72 b) 103 c) 55
area of 900 cm2.
10. Estimate each value to one decimal place.
7. Evaluate. Check your answer with a calculator.
___ ____ ____ ___ ___ ____
a) √ 49 b) √ 121 c) √ 324 √ 14 √ 86 √ 136
a) b) c)

Apply

11. Competency Check The inverse of multiplying is dividing. Explain how

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
squaring a number is the inverse of finding the square root of a number.

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
Include an example with your explanation.

12. Roberto claims that all perfect squares are even. Is Roberto correct?
Justify your thinking.

13. A helicopter landing pad has a square shape. The area is 400 m2. Use two
different methods to find the side length of the pad.

14. How would you use prime factorization to determine the square root of 225?
Compare your answer with a classmate’s.

15. Yolanda is shopping online for a rug for her bedroom. One rug that she likes is
a square with an area of 18 m2. She measures her room and finds that the
dimensions are 4 m by 5 m. Will the rug fit in her room? Explain your thinking.

1.1 Squares and Square Roots • MHR 11

16. Kate is making a patio in her backyard. The patio stones each have an area

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
of 1 m2. She creates the rectangular design shown.

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
4m

14 m

a) What is the area of the patio?

b) What are the dimensions of another rectangular patio she could build
with the same area?
c) Kate decides to make a patio with the same area but she wants it to be a
square with side lengths that are whole numbers. Is this possible? Explain
your reasoning.

17. Students ran twice around the perimeter of the school field. The area of the
square field is 28 900 m2. What distance did the students run?

18. The square has an area of 20 cm2.

a) Use perfect squares to estimate the side
length to one decimal place.
b) Check your answer using a ruler to
measure the side of the square. Measure to 20 cm2
the nearest tenth of a centimetre.

19. Kai uses an entire can of paint on a square backdrop for

the school play. The label on the can states that one can
covers 27 m2 of wall surface. Assuming no waste, estimate
the backdrop’s side length, to one decimal place.

20. What are all the possible whole numbers that have a square root between
4 and 5?

21. Evaluate.
_ _
1 25
a) √ 16 ___ b) √___
36
c) ( __21 ) 2
d) (__
7)
3 2

12 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

22. Alex is thinking of a number.

a) What number could he be thinking of?

b) Is there more than one answer? Explain.

23. The Canadian government determines the average individual income for
each member of a family by dividing the household income by the square
root of the number of people in the home.
a) What is the government’s measured individual income for each member
of a family of 4 if the household income is $80 000?
b) The government determines that each member in a household with a
combined income of $100 000 has an average individual income of
$44 721. How many people live in this home?
___
24. Order ___
the numbers from least to greatest without using technology: √ 46 ,
5.8, √ 26 , 7. Check your answer with a calculator.

Extend

25. The British mathematician Augustus de Morgan told his friends that he was
x years old in the year x2. He died in 1871. What year was he born?

26. a) Determine which numbers are perfect squares: 10, 100, 1000, 10 000, en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
100 000.
ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re

b) State the square root of each perfect square.

c) Choose one of the numbers that is not a perfect square. Explain how you
know it is not a perfect square.
d) Describe a quick mental math method to determine whether these types
of numbers are perfect squares.
e) Use your method in part d) to decide if 1 000 000 000 is a perfect square.

27. Determine two numbers that have a square root between 326 and 327, are
divisible by 100, and are a multiple of 6.
____
28. What is the smallest natural number value for n if the solution for √ 56n is
also a natural number?

1.1 Squares and Square Roots • MHR 13

1.2
Exploring the Pythagorean
Relationship
Focus On…
In this lesson, I will learn to
• represent the
Pythagorean relationship
pictorially and
symbolically
• demonstrate
understanding through
solving problems
involving the Pythagorean
relationship

Burrard Bridge, Vancouver

Trusses in bridges are made using the strongest polygon, a triangle. Once built,
the triangle will not change shape. The truss design in the centre of the bridge
forms right triangles. What relationship applies to the sides of a right triangle?

Explore and Analyze

1. Create the following set of squares from centimetre grid paper: 3 cm × 3 cm,
4 cm × 4 cm, 5 cm × 5 cm, 6 cm × 6 cm, 8 cm × 8 cm, 10 cm × 10 cm,
12 cm × 12 cm, and 13 cm × 13 cm

2. a) Construct triangles by placing 3 of the

squares together.
b) Use a protractor to determine whether the
triangle is acute, right, or obtuse.

3. Compare your results with those of your

classmates. Record the sets of squares that
produced right triangles.

4. What pattern(s) do you notice?

14 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Develop Understanding
Example 1: Describe Relationships in Right Triangles
a) What is the area of each square below?
b) Which side is the hypotenuse of the triangle? hypotenuse
c) Write an addition statement showing the relationship between the areas of • the longest side of a right
triangle
the three squares.
• opposite the right angle
d) Use words and symbols to describe the relationship between the side lengths
of the triangle. legs
• the two shorter sides of a
right triangle
• they meet at 90°
hypotenuse
leg
r = 5 cm
p = 3 cm
leg

q = 4 cm

Solution
a) p = 3 cm q = 4 cm r = 5 cm Pythagorean
A=3 2
A = 42 A = 52 relationship
A=9 A = 16 A = 25 • the relationship between
the lengths of the sides of
The area is 9 cm2. The area is 16 cm2. The area is 25 cm2. a right triangle
• the sum of the areas of
b) Side r is the hypotenuse.
the squares attached to
the legs of a right triangle
c) 9 + 16 = 25
equals the area of the
square attached to the
d) The sum of the areas of the squares attached to the two shorter sides, or legs
hypotenuse
of a right triangle, equals the area of the square attached to the hypotenuse.
a2
32 + 42 = 52
How can you write the
Pythagorean relationship for a right b2
This relationship is called the c2
triangle with legs p and q and
Pythagorean relationship. hypotenuse r?
a2 + b2 = c2

Show You Know

The sides of a right triangle are 9 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm.
a) Sketch a picture of the triangle. Draw a square on each side of the triangle.
b) What is the area of each square?
c) Write an addition statement using the areas of the three squares.

1.2 Exploring the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 15

Example 2: Identify a Right Triangle
A triangle has side lengths of 5 cm, 7 cm, and 9 cm.
a) What is the area of each square that can be drawn on the three sides of
the triangle?
b) Is the triangle a right triangle? Explain your answer.

Solution
a) 5 × 5 = 25
The area is 25 cm2.
7 × 7 = 49
5 cm ? 7 cm
The area is 49 cm2.
9 × 9 = 81 9 cm
The area is 81 cm2.
b) Calculate the sum of the areas of the two
smaller squares.
25 + 49 = 74
The sum of the areas is 74 cm2. The sum
does not equal the area of the large square.
74 cm2 ≠ 81 cm2
The triangle is not a right triangle.

Show You Know

A triangle has side lengths of 12 cm, 16 cm, and 20 cm.
a) What is the area of each square that can be drawn on the three sides of
the triangle?
b) Is the triangle a right triangle? Explain.

Connect and Reflect

Key Ideas
• The Pythagorean relationship relates the areas of the squares on
the three sides of a right triangle. a2

• In a right triangle, the sum of the areas of the squares attached to

the legs equals the area of the square attached to the hypotenuse.
b2
c2

c2 = a2 + b2

16 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Practise

For help with #1 to #4, refer to Example 1 on page 15. 4. The sides of a right triangle measure 9 cm,
12 cm, and 15 cm.
1. What is the area of each square?
a) What is the area of each square attached
to the three sides of the right triangle?
b) Write an addition statement showing the
relationship between the areas of the three
squares.
g = 50 mm c) Use words and symbols to describe the
e = 30 mm relationship between the side lengths of
each square.
f = 40 mm
For help with #5 to #7, refer to Example 2 on page 16.

5. Is the triangle shown a right triangle? Explain

your reasoning.

2. A right triangle has side lengths of 40 mm,

75 mm, and 85 mm.
40 cm2
a) Sketch the triangle. Draw a square on each
side of the triangle.
50 cm2 ?
b) What is the area of each square?
c) Write an addition statement with the areas 20 cm2
of the three squares.

3. a) Write an addition statement using the areas

of the three squares. 6. a) Calculate the areas of the three squares.
b) Is the triangle a right triangle? Explain.
25 cm2

144 cm2 3 cm

169 cm2 4 cm ?
2 cm

b) What is the side length of each square?

7. The side lengths of a triangle are 5 cm, 6 cm,
c) Use words and symbols to describe the and 8 cm. Determine whether the triangle is a
relationship between the side lengths of right triangle. Explain.
each square.

1.2 Exploring the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 17

Apply

8. Use words and symbols to describe the relationship among the areas of the
three squares shown.

225 cm2

289 cm2

64 cm2

9. Use the Pythagorean relationship to find the unknown area of each square.
a) b)

576 mm2
cm 2

20 cm2 100
mm2

mm2
32 cm2

c) d)

cm2
cm2

12 cm2

90 cm2
25 cm2
12 cm2

18 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

10. Kendra wrote the Pythagorean relationship as r2 = p2 + q2 for the triangle
shown. Is she correct? Explain.

p
r

11. Samuel used three coloured squares of linking cubes (green, yellow, and

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
pink) to build a right triangle. He placed the green square next to one leg and

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
attached the pink square to the hypotenuse.
a) What is the area of the yellow square?
b) What is the perimeter of the triangle?
c) Samuel claims that by rearranging the cubes into the two layers shown in
the diagram, he has demonstrated the Pythagorean relationship. What do
you think he means?

12. A small triangular flower bed has a square stepping stone at each of its sides.
Is the flower bed in the shape of a right triangle? Explain your reasoning.

9800 cm2

4800 cm2

4800 cm2

1.2 Exploring the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 19

13. Competency Check A square has its vertices at the coordinates (0, 1),

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
(1, 0), (2, 1), and (1, 2).

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
a) What is the area of the square? Explain your reasoning.
y
2

–2 –1 0 1 2 x

–1

b) Using the side lengths of the blue squares, determine the exact perimeter of
the yellow triangle.
y
2

–2 –1 0 1 2 x

–1

14. Construction workers are laying out the rectangular foundation for a new

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
building. They want to check that the corner is 90°. They measure the
ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re

diagonal as shown to be 9.5 m. Is the angle 90°? Explain your reasoning.

8m
?

6m

15. Use the table to answer the following questions.

Leg (mm) Leg (mm) Hypotenuse (mm)

3 4 5
6 8 10
0.6 0.8 1.0

a) Confirm that the triangles with the given side lengths are all right triangles.
b) How are the three sets of sides related?
c) Use your answer to part b) to find two sets of sides that are related to
a right triangle with sides 8 mm, 15 mm, and 17 mm.

20 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

16. Danelle is trying to install a corner shelf in her bedroom. Since the shelf
does not fit properly, she thinks the two walls in her bedroom do not meet
at a right angle. She measures a length of 30 cm along the base of each wall
away from the corner. Then, she measures the hypotenuse to be 43 cm. Do
the walls meet at a right angle? Explain.

17. What is the area of the square that can be drawn on side c of each triangle?
a) b)
c 13 mm
21 cm 5 mm

c
28 cm

18. Show whether each triangle in the table is a right triangle.

Triangle Side Lengths (cm)

A 9, 12, 15
B 7, 8, 11
C 7, 24, 25
D 16, 30, 34
E 10, 11, 14

Extend

19. The diagram is made of two right

triangles and five squares.
12 m2
a) What is the area of square X?
b) What is the area of square Y?

X
Y
24 m2

4 m2

20. A right triangle has a square attached to each side. Two of the squares have
areas of 10 cm2 and 15 cm2. What are possible areas for the third square?
Draw a sketch for each solution. Discuss your findings with a partner.

21. A right triangle has sides of 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm.

A semicircle is attached to each side. Describe the
relationship between the areas of the semicircles.

1.2 Exploring the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 21

1.3
Applying the Pythagorean
Relationship
Focus On…
In this lesson, I will learn to
• connect the Pythagorean
relationship to real-world
contexts
• solve problems by
determining unknown
measures of sides of right
triangles or distances

British Columbia’s First Peoples use canoes on rivers and lakes for travel and
fishing. Canoe river crossing requires skill, experience, and understanding of how
the river’s current influences your path.

Explore and Analyze

Jake and Larissa set up an experiment to simulate crossing a river by canoe. They
use a plastic container filled with water to represent the river, a model canoe, and
a fan to simulate the river current.
Distance canoe
travels down river

Diagonal distance
canoe travels

River
Distance canoe (plastic water
travels across river container)

1. What information do you need to calculate the diagonal distance the

canoe travels?

2. What affects the diagonal distance the canoe travels? How?

3. How could you calculate the diagonal distance when the canoe does not
reach the opposite side of the river?

22 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Develop Understanding
Example 1: Determine an Unknown Side Length of a Right Triangle
a) Determine the length of hypotenuse c.
Express your answer to the nearest tenth c
a=7m
of a metre.

b = 10 m

b) What is the length of leg e of the right f = 41 mm

d = 9 mm
triangle?
e
Solution
a) Use the Pythagorean relationship, c2 = a2 + b2, where the length of the
hypotenuse is c, and the lengths of the legs are a and b.
c2 = 72 + 102
c2 = 49 + 100
c2 = 149
____
c = √ 149
c ≈ 12.2
The length of the hypotenuse is approximately 12.2 m.
b) Use the Pythagorean relationship, d2 + e2 = f 2, where the length of the
hypotenuse is f, and the lengths of the legs are d and e.
92 + e2 = 412
81 + e2 = 1681
81 + e2 − 81 = 1681 − 81 Why do you subtract 81?
e = 1600
2
_____
e = √ 1600
e = 40
The length of leg e is 40 mm.

Show You Know

a) Determine the length of the hypotenuse for the right triangle, to the
nearest centimetre.
h
f = 6 cm

g = 10 cm

b) Determine the length of leg s of the right triangle.

t = 52 cm
r = 20 cm

1.3 Applying the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 23

Example 2: Determine the Length of a Line Segment
What is the length of line segment AB? Express your answer as an exact value
and as an approximation to the nearest tenth.
y
B

A
0 2 4 6 x

Solution
Make line segment AB the hypotenuse of a right triangle.
Determine the lengths of the legs AC and BC.
y
B

A C
0 2 4 6 x

AC = 2 and BC = 4
Use the Pythagorean relationship to determine the length of AB.
AB2 = AC2 + BC2
AB2 = 22 + 42
AB2 = 4 + 16
AB2 = 20___
AB = √ 20 ___
The exact length of AB is √ 20 units.
___
√ 20 ≈ 4.5
The approximate length of AB is 4.5 units.

Show You Know

Line segment CD has endpoints C(2, 4) and D(7, 7). Determine the exact
length of CD and approximate its value to the nearest tenth.

24 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Example 3: Solve Problems Involving Unknown Distances
A baseball diamond is a square with a side length of 27 m. A base runner is
trying to steal second base. When the catcher is about to throw the ball from
home plate to second base, it is estimated that the runner will arrive at the base
in 2.0 s. The catcher throws the ball with an average speed of 22 m/s. Will the
ball arrive at second base before the runner?

second base
first base

third base

27 m
home plate

Solution
Determine the distance, d, between home plate and second base.
Use the Pythagorean relationship.
d 2 = 272 + 272
d 2 = 729 + 729
d 2 = 1458
_____
d = √ 1458
d ≈ 38.2
The distance between home plate and second base is approximately 38.2 m.
Now, determine the time for the ball to travel to second base.
distance
Time = ______
speed
38.2
Time = ____
22
Time ≈ 1.7
The ball travels to second base in approximately 1.7 s.
Since the runner will take 2 s to reach second base, the ball will arrive at second
base before the runner.

Show You Know

On the same baseball diamond, the third baseman is standing 4 m along the
baseline from third base toward second base. What is the minimum distance
that he has to throw the ball to get the runner out at first base?

1.3 Applying the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 25

Connect and Reflect

Key Ideas
• The Pythagorean relationship connects the three sides of any right triangle. For a v s
right triangle with sides s, t, and v, where side v is the hypotenuse, v2 = s2 + t2.
• You can use the Pythagorean relationship to determine the length of an unknown t

side of a right triangle if the lengths of the other two sides are known.
• You can use the Pythagorean relationship to determine distances that cannot be
measured directly.

Practise

For help with #1 to #4, refer to Example 1 on page 23. 4. What is the missing length of the leg for each
triangle? Give your answer to the nearest tenth
1. Determine the length of each hypotenuse.
of a millimetre.
a)
c a)
a = 12 cm

b = 16 cm h i = 9 mm

b)
r g = 5 mm
p = 16 m

q = 30 m b) q = 11 mm

2. What is the length of each hypotenuse?

p
Give your answer to the nearest tenth of r = 15 mm
a centimetre.
a) b)
d
b = 8 cm
For help with #5 to #7, refer to Example 2 on page 24.
y = 7 cm z
5. What is the length of the line segment?
c = 11 cm
x = 6 cm Express your answer as an exact value and
to one decimal place.
3. Determine the length of the unknown leg for
y
each right triangle. 6
B

a) c = 25 cm
a = 7 cm
4
b A

2
b)
t = 26 cm
r
0 2 4 6 x
s = 24 cm

26 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

6. What is the length of the line segment on 1-cm 9. a) Anthony and Shalima are canoeing on
dot paper? Express your answer to the nearest Cultus Lake near Chilliwack. There are
tenth of a centimetre. two boat ramps on the lake. How far is it
by canoe between the boat ramps?
b) How much farther is it to travel by road
from ramp A to ramp B than to canoe
between the two ramps?

boat ramp A

1500 m
7. A line segment has endpoints A(−2, 3) and
B(10, 8). Draw the line segment and then use
the Pythagorean relationship to determine road
its length. 800 m

For help with #8 to #10, refer to Example 3 on page 25.

boat ramp B
8. Walter walks across a rectangular field in a
diagonal line. Maria walks around two sides
of the field. They meet at the opposite corner.
10. Find the height of the pole where the guy wire
is attached, to the nearest tenth of a metre.
120 m
guy wire

300 m 10 m

a) How far did Maria walk?

b) How far did Walter walk? Express your
answer to the nearest metre. 2m
c) Who walked farther? By how much?

Apply

11. Kira calculated the missing side length of the right triangle.
y2 = 52 + 132
y2 = 25 + 169 x = 13 cm
w = 5 cm
y2 = 194
y ≈ 13.9 y
The length of side y is approximately 13.9 cm.

Is Kira correct? If she is correct, explain how you know. If she is incorrect,
explain the correct method.

1.3 Applying the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 27

12. The hypotenuse of the triangle cuts the circle in half. What is the diameter of

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
the circle? Express your answer to the nearest tenth of a centimetre.

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
cm
7 cm

5 cm

13. The front of a small tent has the dimensions shown. Determine the length of
the base of the large isosceles triangle. Express your answer to the nearest
tenth of a centimetre.

100 cm 100 cm
80 cm

14. What are the lengths of b and c? Write your answer to the nearest tenth of a

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
metre, where appropriate.

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
c Re
b
5m

3m 3m

15. What is the height of the wheelchair ramp? Give your answer to the nearest
tenth of a centimetre.
80 cm

79 cm

16. Shahriar knows that the size of a television set is based

30 in.
on the length of the diagonal of the screen. He thinks GREAT
that the diagonal is not as large as the ad says. Is he
correct? Explain. DEAL
25 in.
42-inch
TELEVSION
ON SALE!

28 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

17. Johan leans a 300-cm ladder against a wall. The safety sticker on the side of
the ladder shows that the bottom must be placed between 70 cm and 110 cm
away from the wall. What are the minimum distance and maximum distance
up the wall that the ladder can reach? Give your answers to the nearest tenth
of a centimetre.

18. The diagonals of a rhombus intersect at a 90°

angle and bisect each other. The diagonals
are 10 cm and 24 cm. What is the perimeter
of the rhombus?

19. Competency Check On a certain shoe, each pair of eyelets is separated

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
by a distance of 2.5 cm. The distance across the tongue of the shoe between

ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re
two eyelets is 3.6 cm. Use the Pythagorean relationship to determine a
reasonable length of shoelace for one shoe. What assumptions did you make?

Extend

20. A BC ferry travels east from Swartz Bay at a speed of 34 km/h for 0.5 h.
Then it turns 90° and travels north at 30 km/h for 1.6 h. When it reaches
Tsawwassen, how far is the ship from Swartz Bay? Express your answer to
the nearest kilometre.

Tsawwassen

km

Swartz Bay

1.3 Applying the Pythagorean Relationship • MHR 29

21. The square pyramid has base edges of 18 mm and slant edges of 41 mm.
What is the total surface area of the pyramid?

41 mm
41 mm

18 mm
18 mm

22. a) What is the length of the red diagonal? Express your answer to the nearest
tenth of a millimetre.

5 mm
7 mm
12 mm

b) Is there more than one way to determine the answer? Explain your
thinking.

23. The blue square has a perimeter of 40 mm and the yellow square has an area

en te
es ica
nd

t
lve sta

pr u n

fle ct
of 4 mm2. What is the shortest distance between A and B? Give your answer
ze
Anason

ct
Re mm

Re e
So der
aly

n n
Un

Co

Co
Re

to the nearest tenth of a millimetre.

B

30 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

Rich Problems
1. In the diagram, the circumference of the circle (only semicircle is shown) is
10π cm and AB is the diameter through centre C. Show that square DEFG
has the same area as rectangle AGHI.

D E

A
C G B F
3 cm

I H

2. The area of a square is x2. If p represents its perimeter and d represents its
diagonal, then write a formula for the area of the square that involves
a) p instead of x b) d instead of x

3. The area of the blue square inscribed in the semicircle is 36 cm2. What is the
area of the yellow square inscribed in a circle of the same radius?

4. A storage box (1 m by 1 m by 1 m) is flat against a wall. A 4-m long ladder is

leaning against the wall, just touching the box. The length of the ladder
between the floor and the edge of the box is 1.06 m. How high up the wall
does the ladder reach?

1.06 m

Rich Problems • MHR 31

Chapter 1 Review
Learning Goals
Inquire and Explore: How is squaring a number related to taking the square root of a number?
How are the side lengths of a right triangle related to square and square roots of numbers?
What pattern can you generalize to make a rule about the side lengths of right triangles?

After this section, I can

1.1 ▪ use multiple strategies to identify square numbers

▪ determine the square root of a number using mental math, visualization, and number sense
▪ estimate the square root of a number

1.2 ▪ represent the Pythagorean relationship pictorially and symbolically

▪ demonstrate understanding through solving problems involving the Pythagorean relationship

3.3 ▪ connect the Pythagorean relationship to real-world contexts

▪ solve problems by determining unknown measures of sides of right triangles or distances

1.1 Squares and Square Roots, pages 6–13 1.2 Exploring the Pythagorean Relationship,
pages 14–21
1. Which number is a perfect square?
A 10 B 20 6. A right triangle has squares on each of its sides.
What is the area of the blue square?
C 100 D 200
___ 6 m2
2. The value of √ 51 is closest to which whole
number?
A 7 B 8 22 m2
C 49 D 64

3. What is the side length of the square in A 4 m2 B 14 m2

the diagram? C 16 m2 D 28 m2

7. The areas of the squares on two sides of a right

81 mm 2 triangle are 26 cm2 and 40 cm2. What are the
possible areas for the square on the third side?
Draw diagrams to support your answers.

4. Determine the prime factorization of 196. Then 8. The table shows the side lengths of four
explain how you can use the prime factorization triangles. Which triangles are right angled?
to find the square root of 196.
Side x Side y Side z
Triangle (cm) (cm) (cm)
5. Using
___
estimation,
___
place the value of the sum
A 9 12 15
√ 10 + √ 17 on a number line. Explain your
B 5 6 7
thinking.
C 12 35 37
D 30 000 40 000 50 000

32 MHR • Chapter 1 Pythagorean Relationship

1.3 Applying the Pythagorean Relationship, Connect the Concepts
pages 22–30
13. The white square on the left side of the diagram
9. For a right triangle with sides m, p, and v, has an area of 225 mm2. The hypotenuse of the
the Pythagorean relationship is v = m + p .
2 2 2
right triangle is 25 mm long. What is the area of
Which variable represents the length of the the yellow square?
hypotenuse?

10. The rectangular pool at Wild Water World has a

length that measures 15 m and a diagonal that
measures 17 m. A float line divides the shallow
end and deep end. What is the length of the
float line?

17 m 14. A police officer uses a laser speed gun to

ticket drivers who are going too fast. The
15 m radar gun quickly takes two measurements of
the distance between it and the approaching
11. The coordinate grid was drawn on centimetre car to determine the car’s speed. The officer
grid paper. Answer the following questions to the is 50 m from the side of the road. The
nearest tenth of a centimetre, where appropriate. distance between the officer and the car at A
y
C is 172 m. The distance at B is 157 m.
6
E

172 m
50 m 157 m
2

A B
–4 –2 0 2 4 6 x

D F Not shown to scale. B A

?m
a) What is the length of the hypotenuse in
△ABC? in △DEF? a) How far has the car travelled between the
two measurements?
b) What is the perimeter of △DEF?
b) The radar gun uses the difference between
12. Lightning strikes a wooden telephone pole, the two distance measurements, 157 m and
breaking it 3.2 m above the ground. If the top 172 m, to determine if the car is speeding.
of the pole touches the ground 6.0 m from its How does this number compare to part a)?
base, what was the length of the pole before c) Is the speed calculated by the radar gun an
it broke? underestimate or an overestimate of the car’s
actual speed? Explain your thinking.
3.2 m

6.0 m

Chapter 1 Review • MHR 33