SOLUTION: I'm having a hard time figuring this out. A 50-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge. The horizontal distance

Question 366856: I'm having a hard time figuring this out. A 50-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge. The horizontal distance that it spans is 10 ft longer that the height that it reaches on the side of the bridge. Find the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by this brace.I appreciate all the help I can get.
Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A 50-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a side support on the bridge. The horizontal distance that it spans is 10 ft longer that the height that it reaches on the side of the bridge. Find the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by this brace.I appreciate all the help I can get.
------------------------------
Draw the picture.
Draw a horizontal line segment (the bridge).
---
Draw a vertical support under the middle of the line segment (the brace)
---
Draw a line segment connecting the base of the support to one
end of the bridge, thus forming a right triangle.
---
hypotenuse = 50
leg = span = x+10 ft.
leg = support = x ft.
--------
Solve for "x":
x^2 + (x+10)^2 = 50^2
2x^2 + 20x + 100 = 2500
x^2 + 10x - 1200 = 0
(x-30)(x+40) = 0
Positive solution:
x = 30 ft (length of the support
x+10 = 40 ft (length of the span)
=======================================
Cheers,
Stan H.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Hi, I really need help with this please? A 15-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a (answered by Theo)

I am having a nightmare with this one. Can someone please help me. A 75-ft diagonal... (answered by stanbon,Earlsdon)

A 200-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a... (answered by mananth)

A 100-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a... (answered by mananth)

a 5-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a... (answered by chessace)

9. A 150-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to... (answered by jim_thompson5910)

A 20-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a... (answered by stanbon,oberobic)

A 75-ft diagonal brace on a bridge connects a support of the center of the bridge to a... (answered by mananth)

I am lost on this word problem. Would it be a polynomial to be factored or the product of (answered by mananth)