This proof depends on the readily-proved proposition that the area of a triangle is half its base times its height—that is, half the product of one side with the altitude from that side. Let ABC be an equilateral triangle whose height is h and whose side is a. Let P be any point inside the triangle, and u, s, t the distances of P from the sides. Draw a line from P to each of A, B, and C, forming three triangles PAB, PBC, and PCA. and thus u + s + t = h.