To construct the altitude of a triangle, you essentially perform a geometric construction of a from a vertex to the opposite side (the base) . Step-by-Step Construction
. The segment from the vertex to the base line is the . Licensed by Google The Orthocenter
: Place the compass point on a vertex (e.g., vertex How to Construct the Altitudes of a Triangle вЉї
: Draw the arc to create two intersection points on the base line. Label these points Draw Intersecting Arcs : From point
and draw another arc that intersects the first one. Label this intersection point To construct the altitude of a triangle, you
: Use a straightedge to draw a line from vertex through point
). Open the compass wide enough so that when you draw an arc, it intersects the opposite side ( BCcap B cap C ) at two distinct points. Licensed by Google The Orthocenter : Place the
: The orthocenter is exactly at the vertex of the right angle.