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Lesson goal: Finding Pythagorean Triples

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Most people have heard of the Pythagorean Theorem, which states that c2=a2+b2, where c is the hypotenuse of a right triangle, and a and b are the other two sides (or legs) of the right triangle.

Quick! Could you guess three numbers that satsify c2=a2+b2? You might have the famous 3-4-5 right triangle memorized.

Here is a quick computer way of generating numbers that satisfy Pythagorean's Theorem. Or stated another way, numbers that would work just fine as side lengths for a right triangle.

Here's the way it works. Start by thinking of any two numbers. Then do three calculations with them:
  1. Compute their product, then double it.
  2. Square each, then subtract the two squares.
  3. Square each, then sum them.
The three results you get are sides that would form a correct right triangle! These three steps are called"Diophantus's Rules."

Now you try. Try to translate the recipe for x, y, and z as stated above, and fill your results in for the x=, y= and z= lines.

Type your code here:

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print("What is the larger of your numbers?")
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a=input()
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print("What is the smaller of your numbers?")
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b=input()
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x=???
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y=???
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z=???
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print("A triangle with side lengths of")
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print(x,",",y,"and",z,"would form a right triangle")

See your results here: