Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes

Prior Knowledge:
• Pythagoras’ theorem in 2D shapes.
• Simplifying surds.
• Volume of a square-based pyramid.

Pythagoras’ theorem allows you to find a missing side in a right-angled triangle, given two other
sides. This can be applied in the same way to 2D shapes or to 3D shapes.

Example 1:
ABCDEFGH is a cuboid. AD has length 3m, DC has length 4m and CG has length 12m. Find the
length of DF.

E F

A
B
H
G

m
12

D 4m C

The process of applying Pythagoras’ theorem in a 3D shape is the same as in a 2D shape. The
challenge comes from visualising a 3D shape and finding the relevant right-angled triangles. In
this case, we are looking for the length of the diagonal line between D and F. As you can see from
the image below, DF is the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle DFG, which has a right angle
at G:

m
12

D 4m C

In the triangle DFG, we know the length of FG is 3m but we do not know the length of DG. However,
DG is itself the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle CDG, where we know the lengths of both
of the shorter sides: DC is 4m and CG is 12m. Therefore, we will need to find the length of DF in
two steps. We will first use Pythagoras’ theorem on triangle CDG to find the length of DG, then on
triangle DFG to find the length of DF:

1 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
Triangle DCG: DG = 42 + 122
=
160m

We will not evaluate 160 as we are using it again in the next step and it is more accurate to leave
it in surd form.
Triangle DGF: DF = ( 160)2 + 32 (remember, ( a)2 = a)
DF = 160 + 9
=
169
= 13m

In this example, we have applied Pythagoras’ theorem twice. We first found DG, using CD and CG,
then found DF, using DG and FG. This means that:
DG2 = CD2 + CG2

And: DF2 = DG2 + FG2

If we substitute the first formula into the second, we get:

DF2 = CD2 + CG2 + FG2
DF2 = 42 + 122 + 32
DF2 = 169
DF = 13m

This shows that, in 3D Pythagoras, the square of the longest side equals the sum of the squares
of the shorter sides, or:
a2 + b2 + c2 = d2

This can be helpful in solving simpler questions, but be careful when applying it to more complex
problems, as it can result in mistakes from wrongly identifying the sides.

2 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
Example 2:
Find the height of the square-based pyramid ABCDE. Leave your answer in surd form.

m
10
D C

6m

A 6m B

Again, the challenge is to visualise the right-angled triangles. In this case, we are looking for the
height. As the base sides are all equal and AE = BE = CE = DE, we have a number of congruent
triangles to choose from. Each has a 10m edge as the hypotenuse and the height as one of the
shorter sides.

E
m
10

M 6m

A 6m B

We have introduced point M, which is the midpoint of the base. We are looking for the height, EM,
which is a shorter side of the right-angled triangled AEM. We don’t know the length of AM, but we
do know it is half the length of AC, which itself is the hypotenuse of the triangle ABC.

We will carry out two steps: first, applying Pythagoras’ theorem to triangle ABC to find the length
of AC; second, applying Pythagoras’ theorem to triangle AEM to find the height, EM.
Triangle ABC: AC = 62 + 62
AC = 72
AC = 6 2m

Again, we leave our answer to the first part as a surd. We have simplified 72 to 6 2 because we
are looking for AM, not AC.
AM = AC ÷ 2 = 3 2

(This is why simplifying is important: 72 ÷ 2 is not 36.)

3 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
We now have enough information to find the height, using triangle AEM. Remember that the
height is not the hypotenuse of AEM, but a shorter side. Therefore, we will be subtracting:
Triangle AEM: EM = 102 – (3 2)2
EM = 100 – 9 × 2
EM = 82m

Your Turn:
1. Find the length of the diagonal CE in the cuboid ABCDEFGH. Give your answer correct to 1d.p.

E F

A
B
H
G
1m

4m

D 2m C

2. The cone pictured has a circular base of diameter 30cm. Find the height of the cone. Give your
answer correct to 1.d.p.
cm
20

4 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
3. ABCDEF is a triangular prism. Find the length of CD. Give your answer correct to 3s.f.

A
E F

30m
m
70

B 50m C

4. Find the volume of the pyramid ABCDE. Give your answer correct to 1d.p.

E
m
12

D C

4m

A 10m B

5 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
5. Show whether an 8m-long pole can fit inside a 5m-wide cube.

6. The Eiffel Tower sits in the centre of one of the shorter sides of a rectangular park. The park
is 800m long and 240m wide. As part of a film shoot, a stunt double must slide down a zip
wire from the top of the Eiffel Tower to one of the far corners of the park. If the top platform
of the Eiffel Tower is 300m high, how much cable will be needed? Round your answer to the
nearest metre.

6 of 7
 Pythagoras’ Theorem in 3D Shapes
Challenge:
The octahedron below, ABCDEF, is made up of two square based pyramids, ABCDE and ABCDF. If
the volume of the octahedron is 16 2m3, find its surface area. Give your answer as a surd in its
simplest form.

 E

3m
 D C

2
2m
2

A B


 F

7 of 7