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Inverse Pythagorean theorem

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Comparison of the inverse Pythagorean theorem with the Pythagorean theorem using the smallest positive integer inverse-Pythagorean triple in the table below.
Base
Pytha-
gorean
triple
AC BC CD AB
(3, 4, 5) 20 = 5 15 = 5 12 = 4 25 = 52
(5, 12, 13) 156 = 12×13 65 = 5×13 60 = 5×12 169 = 132
(8, 15, 17) 255 = 15×17 136 = 8×17 120 = 8×15 289 = 172
(7, 24, 25) 600 = 24×25 175 = 7×25 168 = 7×24 625 = 252
(20, 21, 29) 609 = 21×29 580 = 20×29 420 = 20×21 841 = 292
All positive integer primitive inverse-Pythagorean triples having up to three digits, with the hypotenuse for comparison

In geometry, the inverse Pythagorean theorem (also known as the reciprocal Pythagorean theorem[1] or the upside down Pythagorean theorem[2]) is as follows:[3]

Let A, B be the endpoints of the hypotenuse of a right triangle ABC. Let D be the foot of a perpendicular dropped from C, the vertex of the right angle, to the hypotenuse. Then

This theorem should not be confused with proposition 48 in book 1 of Euclid's Elements, the converse of the Pythagorean theorem, which states that if the square on one side of a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides then the other two sides contain a right angle.

Proof

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The area of triangle ABC can be expressed in terms of either AC and BC, or AB and CD:

given CD > 0, AC > 0 and BC > 0.

Using the Pythagorean theorem,

as above.

Note in particular:

Special case of the cruciform curve

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The cruciform curve or cross curve is a quartic plane curve given by the equation

where the two parameters determining the shape of the curve, a and b are each CD.

Substituting x with AC and y with BC gives

Inverse-Pythagorean triples can be generated using integer parameters t and u as follows.[4]

Application

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If two identical lamps are placed at A and B, the theorem and the inverse-square law imply that the light intensity at C is the same as when a single lamp is placed at D.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ R. B. Nelsen, Proof Without Words: A Reciprocal Pythagorean Theorem, Mathematics Magazine, 82, December 2009, p. 370
  2. ^ The upside-down Pythagorean theorem, Jennifer Richinick, The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 92, No. 524 (July 2008), pp. 313-316
  3. ^ Johan Wästlund, "Summing inverse squares by euclidean geometry", http://www.math.chalmers.se/~wastlund/Cosmic.pdf, pp. 4–5.
  4. ^ "Diophantine equation of three variables".