Two Students Achieve Groundbreaking Pythagorean Proofs Using Trigonometry

Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson publish multiple new proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem, challenging long-held mathematical assumptions.

Johnson and Jackson, now university students, first tackled the problem during a high school math competition in 2022.
Their work, published in the 'American Mathematical Monthly', presents five new trigonometric proofs, with an additional method enabling five more.
Trigonometrical proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem are rare due to the risk of circular reasoning, making their achievement particularly notable.
The duo's persistence was recognized by former First Lady Michelle Obama, highlighting their influence as young women in mathematics.
These new proofs contribute to the extensive historical collection of Pythagorean proofs, offering fresh perspectives on a classic mathematical concept.