1. Section 7-4 Similarity in Right Triangles

2. Hands-On Activity Take a piece of paper and cut out a right triangle. Use the edge of the paper for the right angle Next Fold on the hypotenuse and the right angle. The hypotenuse should line up with itself when you fold Cut on the fold Compare

3. Theorem 7-3 The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle divides the triangle into two triangles that are similar to the original triangle and to each other

4. Geometric Mean When a and b are positive numbers, the formula below is how to solve the geometric mean

5. Corollary 1 The length of the altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle is the geometric mean of the lengths of the segments of the hypotenuse

6. Geometer’s Sketchpad

7. Corollary 2 The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle separates the hypotenuse so that the length of each leg of a triangle is the geometric mean of the length of the adjacent hypotenuse segment and the length of the hypotenuse.

8. Geometer’s Sketchpad