SOLUTION: a tv tower is 20.5m high.Wire braces attached 4.5m from the top of the tower are 8m aways from the base.Find the length of each wire brace.illustrate.

Algebra ->  Algebra  -> Pythagorean-theorem -> SOLUTION: a tv tower is 20.5m high.Wire braces attached 4.5m from the top of the tower are 8m aways from the base.Find the length of each wire brace.illustrate.      Log On

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Question 216502: a tv tower is 20.5m high.Wire braces attached 4.5m from the top of the tower are 8m aways from the base.Find the length of each wire brace.illustrate.
Answer by tutor_paul(427) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The tower and the distance along the ground from base of tower to brace are the legs of a right triangle, and the length of the brace is the hypotenuse. You can thus use the pythagorean theorem to solve this. Let x be the length of the brace.
%2820.5-4.5%29%5E2%2B8%5E2=x%5E2
x%5E2=16%5E2%2B8%5E2
x%5E2=256%2B64
x%5E2=320
Take the square root of both sides; consider only the positive result:
x=sqrt%28320%29
Simplify...
highlight%28x=8sqrt%285%29%29
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Good Luck,
tutor_paul@yahoo.com