How to Find the Altitude of a Triangle: Step-by-Step Guide and Example

altitude of a triangle

The altitude of a triangle is a line segment drawn from a vertex of the triangle perpendicular to the opposite side (or an extension of the opposite side) or to a line that contains the opposite side

The altitude of a triangle is a line segment drawn from a vertex of the triangle perpendicular to the opposite side (or an extension of the opposite side) or to a line that contains the opposite side.

The altitude divides the triangle into two smaller triangles, each sharing one side with the original triangle. The length of the altitude is also the height of the triangle, which is measured perpendicular to the base.

To find the altitude of a triangle, you need to know the length of the base and the length of the height.

Here’s an example to illustrate how to find the altitude of a triangle:

Example:
Consider a triangle with a base of length 6 units and a height of 4 units. To find the altitude, we can use the formula:

Area of triangle = (1/2) * base * height

To find the altitude, we rearrange the formula:

Altitude = (2 * Area)/base

Given the base length as 6 units and the height as 4 units, we can calculate the area using the formula for the area of a triangle:

Area = (1/2) * base * height
Area = (1/2) * 6 * 4
Area = 12 square units

Now substituting the values into the formula for altitude:

Altitude = (2 * Area)/base
Altitude = (2 * 12)/6
Altitude = 4 units

Therefore, the altitude of the triangle is 4 units.

Remember, the altitude of a triangle can vary depending on the length of the base and height. It is essential to have accurate measurements to find the correct altitude of a triangle.

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