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who made the pythagorean theorem

The Pythagorean theorem was not really “made” by a single person; it is named after the Greek philosopher‑mathematician Pythagoras, but versions of the theorem were known in several older civilizations long before him.

Quick Scoop: Who “made” the Pythagorean theorem?

  • The theorem is traditionally credited to Pythagoras of Samos (around 570–495 BCE), which is why it carries his name.
  • Evidence from ancient Babylonian clay tablets (like Plimpton 322) shows the relationship a2+b2=c2a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}a2+b2=c2 was known more than 1,000 years before Pythagoras.
  • Similar ideas appear in ancient Egyptian and Chinese mathematics, where builders and scribes used right‑triangle ratios in practical work.
  • Many historians think Pythagoras (or his school) gave one of the first formal proofs of the theorem rather than discovering the relationship itself.
  • Today, mathematicians see the theorem as a multi‑civilization achievement , refined and re‑proved hundreds of times across history.

In short: Pythagoras gets the naming credit, but the idea behind the Pythagorean theorem is the product of many cultures and many centuries, not a single inventor.

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