WUSTL Math Circle
Proofs Without Words II
(based on Nelson, R. G., Proofs Without Words, MAA, 1993.)
1. What can you deduce from the following figure?
Answer. The large square (of area c2 ) is decomposed into four congruent right triangles (each
of area ab
2
) and a small square of side b − a (so of area (b − a)2 ). Therefore
ab
c2 = 4 × + (b − a)2 = 2ab + b2 − 2ab + a2 = a2 + b2 ,
2
namely
c2 = a2 + b2 .
This is Pythagoras’ Theorem: in a right triangle the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum
of the squares of the other two sides.
2
2. Use the following figure as well as the result of the previous activity to derive a formula for c in
terms of a, b and θ.
3
3. Start with angle BOA0 .
Bisect it by BOA1 .
Bisect the latter by A1 OA2 .
Bisect the latter by A2 OA3 .
Bisect the latter by A3 OA4 .
Continue.
What is angle BOA∞ compared to BOA0 ?
4
4. What is the sum of the angles of a star?
5
5. Using the following figure derive a formula for tan θ2 in terms of sin θ and cos θ.
6
6. Derive a formula for 1 + 2 + · · · + n using the following figure:
7. Derive a formula for 1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + (2n − 1) using the following figure:
8. Derive a formula for 12 + 22 + 32 + · · · + n2 from the following figure:
9
9. Derive a formula for 13 + 23 + 33 + · · · + n3 using the following figure:
10
10. Let r be a positive real number less than 1. In the following figure, use the similarity between
the distinguished small triangle and the big triangle in order to find a formula for
a + ar + ar2 + ar3 + · · · .
11
11. Let r be a positive real number less than 1. Use the following figure and the formula you have
derived through the previous activity to find a formula for
r + 2r2 + 3r3 + · · · .
12
1 1 1 1 1 1
12. Compute 4
+ 42
+ 43
+ · · · and 5
+ 52
+ 53
+ · · · using the following figure:
13
13. We half rolled a small disk. What is the area of the distinguished square compared to our disk?
14
14. From an arbitrary point P inside the equilateral triangle ABC we draw perpendiculars PD, PE
and PF. Use the following figure to find the sum of lengths PE + PE + PF.
15
