Chapter 1: Problem 22
Reveals the triple (3,4,5) as the first instance \((m=1)\) of a one-parameter infinite family of triples, which continues $$ (5,12,13)(m=2),(7,24,25)(m=3),(9,40,41)(m=4), \ldots $$ whose general term is $$ (2 m+1,2 m(m+1), 2 m(m+1)+1) $$ The triple (3,4,5) is also the first member of a quite different "one- parameter infinite family" of triples, which continues $$ (6,8,10),(9,12,15), \ldots $$ Here the triples are scaled-up versions of the first triple (3,4,5) . In general, common factors simply get in the way: If \(a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}\) and \(H C F(a, b)=s,\) then \(s^{2}\) divides \(a^{2}+b^{2},\) and \(a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2} ;\) so \(s\) divides \(c .\) And if \(a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}\) and \(H C F(b, c)=s,\) then \(s^{2}\) divides \(c^{2}-b^{2}=a^{2},\) so \(s\) divides \(a .\) Hence a typical Pythagorean triple has the form \((s a, s b, s c)\) for some scale factor \(s,\) where \((a, b, c)\) is a triple of integers, no two of which have a common factor: any such triple is said to be primitive (that is, basic - like prime numbers). Every Pythagorean triple is an integer multiple of some primitive Pythagorean triple. The next problem invites you to find a simple formula for all primitive Pythagorean triples.
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.