Area of a triangle having sides , , units long is equal to

( )( )( ), where = ( + + ).
2

Proof
1

First of all, note that = 2 ( + + ) = 2 + 2 + 2 = 2 ( + ).

1

Similarly = 2 ( + ) and = 2 ( + ).
Now consider the height of the triangle . We can apply Pythagoras Theorem twice:
2 = 2 + 2 ,

2 = 2 + ( )2

Hence
2 = 2 2 = 2 ( )2
2 2 = 2 ( 2 2 + 2 )
2 2 = 2 2 + 2 2
2 + 2 2 = 2
2 + 2 2
=
2
Thus
2

2
2
2
2

2 + 2 2
= +(
)
2
(2 + 2 2 )2
= 2
4 2
2 2
4 (2 + 2 2 )2
=
42
2
(2) (2 + 2 2 )2
=
4 2
2
(2 + ( + 2 2 ))(2 (2 + 2 2 ))
=
4 2
2

(using difference of two squares)

2 =

((2 + 2 + 2 ) 2 )( 2 (2 2 + 2 ))
4 2

(( + )2 2 )( 2 ( )2 )
4 2
(( + ) + )(( + ) )( + ( ))( ( ))
2 =
4 2
2 =

(using difference of two squares twice)

( + + )( + )( + )( + )
4 2
(2)(2(
))(2( ))(2( ))
2 =
4 2
2 =

(using previous argument)

4
( )( )( )
2
2
= ( )( )( )

2 =

Hence we have
1
2
Area of Triangle = = ( ( )( )( )) = ( )( )( )
2
2
as required.