• School Mathematics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.401-413
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• 2002

The Pythagorean theorem is one of the most important theorem which appeared in school mathematics. Allowing our pupils to rediscover it in classroom, we must know how this theorem was discovered and proved. Further, we should recompose that historical knowledge to practical program which might be suitable to them So, firstly this paper surveyed the history of mathematics on discovering the Pyth-agorean theorem. This theorem was known to many ancient civilizatons: There are evidences that Babylonian and Indian had the knowledges on the relationship among the sides of a right triangle. In Zhoubi suanjing, which was ancient Chinese text book, was the proof of the Pythagorean theorem in special case. And then this paper proposed a teaching program that is composed following five tasks : 1) To draw up squares on geo-board that are various in size and shape, 2) To invent squares that are n-times bigger than a given square, 3) Discovering the Pyth-agorean theorem through the previous activity, 4) To prove the Pythagorean theorem in special case, 5) To prove the Pythagorean theorem in general case.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.25-38
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• 2005

We briefly survey the history of Chinese mathematics which concerns the resolution of right triangles. And we analyse the problems Yucigugosulyodohae(劉氏勾股述要圖解) which is the mathematical book of Chosun Dynasty and contains the 224 problems about right triangles only. Among them, 210 problems are for resolution of right triangles. We also present the methods for generating the Pythagorean triples and constructing polynomial equations in Yucigugosulyodohae which are needed for resolving right triangles.