Triangle Height and Median: Identifying Reference Sides in Geometric Construction

Question

ABC is a triangle.

To which of its sides are the height and the median drawn?

AAABBBCCCXX

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Determine which side both the height and the median are drawn to
00:03 Mark all the intersection points and vertices with letters
00:19 CD is perpendicular according to the given data
00:27 CE bisects AB according to the given data
00:30 This is the solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine which side has both the height and median, let's examine the geometric definitions and their implications in a triangle:

  • A height (altitude) is a perpendicular line from a vertex to the opposite side, possibly extending outside the triangle if it's obtuse.
  • A median connects a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side.

Both a median and height coincide on the same side only under specific symmetrical conditions, such as when the triangle is isosceles (with that side as the base) or when the altitude divides it symmetrically.

In the given problem, since the components align such that both structures exist on the 'base' of symmetry (where the perpendicular bisects and equalizes), hence an educated assumption goes to the side 'AB'.

Thus, the side upon which both the height and the median are drawn is AB \text{AB} .

Answer

AB