Head First 2D Geometry

you are here 4 137

the pythagorean theorem

Using Kwik-klik skate ramps is definitely the right angle!

That was so easy! I can’t

wait for the next one. Do

you want your cut of the

money now, or should I just

let it pile up for a while?

Unbelievable! Not only did the

course get assembled in a day but

man, it was the hottest street course

we’ve seen in a long time. Some

serious kick-flipping action was had

over some huge jumps, and we just

about tail-slid our way to heaven on

the excellent ramp-and-rail section.

Fran ‘five-oh’ Sampson took the

overall number one spot at the end

of the day, but we were all grinning

like winners thanks to Sam & Co’s

fantastic design-and-build efforts.

> click for pics

By finding right triangles with whole number ratios between

the lengths of the sides, you’ve managed to build a whole load

of different ramps from the Kwik-klik standard parts. It’s a fast,

cheap, and smart way to build a skate course, and you’re in a

great position to reap the rewards.

138 Chapter 3

no dumb questions

Q:

But WHY? How come it adds up

like that?

A: That is a very good question and one

which mathematicians and philosophers

have struggled with for centuries.

Unfortunately there’s not always good “why”

reasons in geometry—stuff just IS. The

good news is that it’s very reliabl ...