The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. It can be written as a2 + b2 = c2, where c is the hypotenuse and a and b are the other two sides. The theorem can be used to calculate unknown sides of right triangles and determine if a triangle is a right triangle. It has various applications in fields like engineering and construction. Examples are provided to demonstrate using the theorem to solve problems and prove the relationship between the sides of a right triangle.