Distance from a point to a line the perpendicular "R". Draw the vertical line through "P" and label its intersection with the given line "S". At any point "T" on the line, draw a right triangle "TVU" whose sides are horizontal and vertical line segments with hypotenuse "TU" on the given line and horizontal side of length |"B"| (see diagram). The vertical side of ∆"TVU" will have length |"A"| since the line has slope -"A"/"B". ∆"PRS" and ∆"TVU" are similar triangles, since they are both right triangles and ∠"PSR" ≅ ∠"TUV" since they are corresponding angles of a transversal to the parallel lines "PS" and "UV" (both
Automedian triangle much more recent. The problem of characterizing automedian triangles was posed in the late 19th century in the "Educational Times" (in French) by Joseph Jean Baptiste Neuberg, and solved there with the formula 2"a" = "b" + "c" by William John Greenstreet. Apart from the trivial cases of equilateral triangles, the triangle with side lengths 17, 13, and 7 is the smallest (by area or perimeter) automedian triangle with integer side lengths. There is only one automedian right triangle, the triangle with side lengths proportional to 1, , and . This triangle is the second triangle in the spiral of