Pretty Girls

What will Christopher figure out?!??!

In a remarkable feat of mathematical ingenuity, high school students Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson have redefined the boundaries of trigonometry by presenting a series of five new proofs for the Pythagorean theorem. Their groundbreaking work, published in the prestigious American Mathematical Monthly, challenges the long-held belief that such proofs could only be achieved using circular reasoning. In their study, the duo not only introduces these five original proofs but also unveils a method to derive five additional demonstrations, bringing the total to ten. Nine of these proofs are entirely new to the mathematical community, offering fresh perspectives on this ancient mathematical truth. By clarifying the relationship between different forms of trigonometry, Johnson and Jackson have opened a new pathway for understanding the theorem, marking a significant contribution to the field of mathematics and inspiring future generations of mathematicians.