A spherical Pythagorean theorem

DOI10.1007/S00283-010-9152-9MaRDI QIDQ608934zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors P. Maraner

Publication date 29 November 2010

Published in The Mathematical Intelligencer (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/s00283-010-9152-9

zbMATH Keywords

elliptic geometryhyperbolic geometryPythagorean Theorem

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Elementary problems in hyperbolic and elliptic geometries (51M09)

Review text

The author proves a version of the Pythagorean theorem that holds true in the spherical (elliptic) and hyperbolic plane. A triangle is called \textit{proper} if the double of one angle equals the sum of all the three angles. In the Euclidean plane proper triangles are precisely the right triangles. Consider a proper triangle \(ABC\) with interior angles \(\alpha\), \(\beta\), \(\gamma\) at \(A\), \(B\), and \(C\), respectively, such that \(2\gamma = \alpha + \beta + \gamma\). Then the area of the circle with radius \(c\) (the length of side opposite to \(C\)) equals the sum of areas of the circles with radii \(a\) and \(b\) (lengths of the remaining sides), respectively. In the Euclidean case this statement is obviously equivalent to the Pythagorean Theorem. As pointed out by \textit{V.~Pambuccian} in a letter to the editors [Math. Intell. 32, No. 4, 2 (2010)], the hyperbolic version of this result is actually due to \textit{M.~T. Familiari-Calapso} [C.~R.~Acad.~Sci., Paris, Sér.~A~268, 603--604 (1969; Zbl 0184.46302)]. Pambuccian's letter contains further interesting references and additions to the article under review, for example pointers to Maraner's question for a proper axiomatic setting.

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Cited in

(6)

• Singular Frégier conics in non-Euclidean geometry
• A Unified Pythagorean Theorem in Euclidean, Spherical, and Hyperbolic Geometries
• The Pythagorean theorem and area formula for triangles on the plane with generalized absolute value metric
• Constructions on the Sphere
• Ultrametric properties for valuation spaces of normal surface singularities
• TheRightRight Triangle on the Sphere

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