Triangle Altitude Calculator

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Find the height (altitude) of a triangle relative to each of its three sides.

Side Lengths

Base side (a)

Side b

Side c

Triangle Heights

4.0000

Height on a (hₐ)

Height on b (h_b)3.0000

Height on c (h_c)2.4000

Area6.00

About this calculator

What is an Altitude?

An altitude of a triangle is a line segment through a vertex and perpendicular to (i.e., forming a right angle with) the opposite side. This opposite side is called the base. The length of the altitude is the height of the triangle relative to that specific base.

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Pro Tips

Every triangle has three altitudes, one for each vertex.
The three altitudes meet at a single point called the Orthocenter.
In an obtuse triangle, two of the altitudes lie entirely outside the triangle.

Fun Facts

"In a right triangle, two of the altitudes are actually the sides themselves."
"The product of a side and its corresponding altitude is always constant (twice the area)."
"If you know the coordinates of the vertices, you can also find the altitude using the point-to-line distance formula."

Formula: hₐ = (2 * Area) / a