You can show the Pythagorean theorem using shapes, and it's really fun! Here’s how to do it step by step:

1. Make a Right Triangle: Start with a right triangle. It has two shorter sides, which we’ll call $a$ and $b$, and the longest side, known as the hypotenuse, which we’ll call $c$.

2. Build Squares: Now, we will create squares on each side of the triangle:

   • The square on side $a$ has an area that equals $a^2$.
   • The square on side $b$ has an area that equals $b^2$.
   • The square on side $c$ has an area that equals $c^2$.

3. Put It Together: Show that the area of the big square on the hypotenuse ($c^2$) is the same as adding the areas of the two smaller squares ($a^2 + b^2$).

This way of proving it is easy to see and really makes sense!