Most of us have an unclear memory of learning about the Pythagorean Theorem (勾股定理) many years ago in math class. 

If you're anything like us writer-types, that 2, 000-year-old theorem went in one ear, and immediately out the other! But for two students at St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, the theorem presented a challenge they simply couldn't resist taking on. As a reminder for those of us who aren't potential mathematicians, the Pythagorean Theorem is the basis of trigonometry (三角学). For over 2, 000 years, math scholars have stated it's impossible to use trigonometry to prove the Pythagorean Theorem because doing so would be circular logic. In other words, an idea cannot prove itself.

Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson have challenged that concept in their new abstract. The two high school seniors recently presented their abstract in front of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) at their annual southeastern conference. Unsurprisingly, they were the only teenagers there in a sea of math scholars! Their abstract states, "We present a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem which is based on a fundamental result in trigonometry. " In plain English, that means Calcea and Ne'Kiya proved the theorem using trigonometry after all, and without using circular reasoning.

How did a pair of teenagers solve a riddle that has stumped so many mathematicians before them? Countless math scholars can do nothing facing this theorem. According to Calcea and Ne'Kiya, they have their teachers to thank!

The St. Mary's school slogan is "No Excellence Without Hard Labor", and they mean it! Both girls say their teachers push them to think outside the box and encourage them to discover new concepts. "We have really great teachers, " Ne'Kiya said with a smile. Calcea is proud of herself and her friend for doing something no other high school students have ever done.