Ross Surface Form #16, Dissection Illustrating the Pythagorean Theorem
date: label: date made
content: ca 1895
notes: label: Description
content: This is the sixteenth in a series of models of plane figures (surface forms) designed by William Wallace Ross, a school superintendent and mathematics teacher in Fremont, Ohio. It illustrates the Pythagorean theorem for a right triangle of sides of length 3, 4, and 5.
label: Description
content: The unpainted wooden object consists of a central right angled triangle with a square attached to each side. The smallest square is undivided. A paper sticker on it has a mark that reads: Right Angled Triangle with Attached (/) Squares 3x4x5. The next largest square is divided into four pieces and has a paper sticker with a diagram on it attached to one piece. The largest square is divided into three unequal pieces, with a paper sticker with a diagram on it attached to one piece. The backs of the three squares are divided into square grids. Rearranging the four pieces adjacent to the medium-sized square around the small square gives a square equal in area to the largest square. One also can rearrange the pieces of the large square to form two adjacent squares, each equal in area to one of the smaller squares.
label: Description
content: This illustration of the Pythagorean theorem is associated with the English mathematician Henry Perigal.
label: Description
content: For further information about Ross models, including references, see 1985.0112.190.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Henry Perigal, “On geometric dissections and transformations, <I>The Messenger of Mathematics</I>, 1, 1874, pp. 103-106.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Ohio, Fremont
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Wesleyan University
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1985.0112.204
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0112.204
label: accession number
content: 1985.0112
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Geometric Model
label: Object Name
content: geometric model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 cm x 25.5 cm x 29.2 cm; 13/32 in x 10 1/32 in x 11 1/2 in