Skip to main content

How many ways are there to prove the Pythagorean theorem? - Betty Fei

3,693,260 Views

24,814 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

What do Euclid, 12-year-old Einstein, and American President James Garfield have in common? They all came up with elegant proofs for the famous Pythagorean theorem, one of the most fundamental rules of geometry and the basis for practical applications like constructing stable buildings and triangulating GPS coordinates. Betty Fei details these three famous proofs.

From which culture was the earliest recorded usage of the Pythagorean theorem found?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Betty Fei
  • Director Nick Hilditch
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Nick Hilditch
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Julianna Zarzycki

More from Math In Real Life