Finding a right angle outdoors

Tools: strings - each group has a different color, a tape

measure

Task 1
Measure the lengths of the strings.
Choose three Springs with the use of which you can build a
triangle (the triangle inequality).
Make a triangle.
Check if it is a right-angled triangle (Pythagoras’ Theorem).
If it is not, replace the strings.
Build a right-angled triangle.

Task 2
Using the triangle from exercise 1, construct a segment (string)
of length (Pythagoras’ Theorem):
 √2 m
 √3 m

Task 3
Read the fun fact. Build a triangle:
 The Egyptian Triangle or the Pythagorean Triangle.
 Fun Fact

PYTHAGOREAN TRIPLES
A Pythagorean triangle is a right-angled triangle where the
lengths of all three sides are whole numbers.
Examples of the Pythagorean triangles:

15
10 9
6 13
5

8 12 12

A triangle with sides 3, 4, 5 is the only triangle

5
whose side lengths are consecutive numbers.
3

It is called the Egyptian triangle because it was

4
used by the Egyptians to mark the right angle in the
field - when renewing the land boundaries at the Nile. The
Egyptian triangle is the smallest Pythagorean triangle.

Pythagoras invented formulas for finding the lengths of the

sides a, b, c of Pythagorean triangles:
a=2 n+1 , b=2 n ( n+1 ) , c=2 n2 +2 n+1 ,
where n is any natural number greater than zero