The formula used in the calculation is:
\[ h = \sqrt{a \cdot b} \]
where:
The Altitude Theorem is a principle in geometry that relates the lengths of the segments into which the altitude divides the hypotenuse of a right triangle to the length of the altitude itself. According to the theorem, the altitude from the right angle of a right triangle to its hypotenuse creates two right triangles that are similar to the original right triangle and to each other. The product of the lengths of the two segments of the hypotenuse is equal to the square of the length of the altitude.
Let's assume we have a right triangle with the following segments on the hypotenuse:
Using the formula:
\[ h = \sqrt{a \cdot b} = \sqrt{3 \cdot 4} = \sqrt{12} = 3.4641 \]
Therefore, the altitude (h) for this example is approximately 3.4641 cm.