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TEACHERS EXPERIENCES FORM

Title of the Experience
Pythagorian theorem
Name of the teacher
Marieta Andreeva
Country where it took place
Bulgaria
School typology
High Secondary School
Thematic Area
Maths
Experience typology
Teaching in class
Type of contact
Direct
Description of the Experience
The Pythagorian theorem of is one of the most important in geometry that expresses the connection between the lengths of sides in a rectangular triangle: where ‘c’ is the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite to the right angle) and ‘a’ and ‘b’ are the lengths of the 2 cathetus (the sides that form the right angle). When I explain to the students the theorem this way they feel difficult to orientate which of the sides of the rectangular triangle is marked with ‘a’, why exactly with ‘a’ and why in every triangle it is marked with ‘a’ and etc. Therefore, rather than to explain the theorem this way I simply say that square of hypotenuse equals the sum of squares of the two cathetus. I articulate the formula as: hyp2=cath2+cath2. Thus students remember the theorem more easily as applicable for each triangle nevertheless how its sides are marked in the different problems.

Comments on this Teachers Experience

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Date: 2014.11.26

Posted by Uldis (Latvia)

It`s good expierence,to look at things in differnt way.And it`s important to teach something out of everyday examples

Date: 2014.09.15

Posted by Mariangela Larini (Italy)

Our students often find difficulty in using algebraical language in geometry, they don’t think about the geometrical meaning of what one letter indicates, so if you use the same letter in a different figure for another side they make a mistake in using the correct formula.
I think the solution showed in this experience is good because it focuses the importance of the figure ( rectangular triangle) and the connection between its sides apart from how you call them.
It can be help the students also in following application of the theorem when the rectangular triangle appears inside other figures. The competence of using letters in a proper way also in geometry is very important, but it can be achieved only after having completely understood the real meaning of what we are doing. I try to attain this aim during my lessons.

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