Altitude (geometry)

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Revision as of 17:24, 24 November 2008 by imported>Richard Pinch (mention pedal triangle)
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In triangle geometry, an altitude is a line from a vertex perpendicular to the opposite side. It is an example of a Cevian line. The three altitudes are concurrent, meeting in the orthocentre. The feet of the three altitudes form the orthic triangle (which is thus a pedal triangle), and lie on the nine-point circle. The area of the triangle is equal to half the product of an altitude and the side it meets.