The pythagorean theorem calculator works out perimeter = a + b + c and area = ½ × a × b from side length **a**, side length **b** and side length **c**. Enter what you have and the relationship is applied straight away, so you get the answer without working through the algebra yourself.
What Is the Pythagorean Theorem Calculator?
The pythagorean theorem calculator works through side length **a**, side length **b** and side length **c** to give you perimeter = a + b + c and area = ½ × a × b.
It is aimed at the case where you know the method but not the arithmetic: schoolwork, a quick check on a worked example, or a figure that needs to be right first time.
How the Pythagorean Theorem Works
Each step is applied in order and depends only on the values before it, which makes it possible to follow the calculation rather than take it on trust.
If you are working through the same problem by hand afterwards, compare the intermediate values. That is where a mistake usually shows itself.
Checking Your Own Working
Round sensibly as you go and keep the full precision in the calculator. Rounding too early is the most common way of getting a right method to give a wrong answer.
Where a result should be a whole number, such as a count, check it against the constraint that produced it. A fraction of a person is a sign that something upstream needs revisiting.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with side length **a** set to 10, side length **b** set to 5, side length **c** set to 2, the calculator returns area = ½ × a × b of 25, and perimeter = a + b + c of 17. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out perimeter = a + b + c?
Enter side length **a**, side length **b** and side length **c**. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports perimeter = a + b + c and area = ½ × a × b.
What does the pythagorean theorem actually calculate?
It takes side length **a**, side length **b** and side length **c** and converts them into perimeter = a + b + c and area = ½ × a × b using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter side length **a**?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Why does a small change in one value move the answer so much?
That happens when an output depends on a ratio, because dividing by a small number magnifies any change in it. Check the units first, then check whether the value you entered is in the range the relationship was designed for.
Is the answer exact?
It is as exact as the formula and the inputs allow. The method itself is the standard one for this problem, so the only sources of error are the figures you enter and the precision you ask for.