SOLUTION: The tower supporting the cable of suspension bridge are 1200 meters apart and 170 meters above the bridge it supports.Suppose the cable hangs, following the shape of a parabola, wi

Question 1167083: The tower supporting the cable of suspension bridge are 1200 meters apart and 170 meters above the bridge it supports.Suppose the cable hangs, following the shape of a parabola, with its lowest point 20 meters above the bridge. How high is the cable 120 meters away from the tower?
Answer by htmentor(1343) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let's place the coordinate system such that the parabola is symmetric about the y-axis. Then the coordinates of the vertex are (0,20).
The vertex form of a parabola is y = a(x-h)^2 + k , where (h,k) is the vertex.
The end points are (600,170) and (-600,170) since the suspension points are
1200/2 m away from the origin and 170 m high.
We can use one of the end points to determine a:
170 = a*600^2 + 20 -> a = 150/600^2 = 1/2400
So the equation for the parabola is: y = x^2/2400 + 20
At 120 m from the tower, x = 600 - 120 = 480 m
Thus y = 480^2/2400 + 20 = 116 m
RELATED QUESTIONS
A tower supporting the cable is 1,200 meters and 170 meters above the bridge it... (answered by ikleyn)

The towers supporting the cable of suspension bridge are 1200m apart and 170m above the... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

The cable of suspension bridge hangs in the shape of a parabola. The towers supporting... (answered by ikleyn)

The cable of suspension bridge hangs in the shape of a parabola. The towers supporting... (answered by CPhill,ikleyn,Edwin McCravy)

The cable of a suspension bridge hangs in a shape of a parabola. The towers supporting... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

a cable of a suspension bridge is suspended between two towers that are 1500 m apart and... (answered by ikleyn)

The cabels of a suspension bridge are in the shape of a parabola. The towers supporting... (answered by solver91311)

1.Find the equation of the circle that passes through the points (0,0), (5,0), and (3,3). (answered by ikleyn,Edwin McCravy,greenestamps)

Bridge design: A cable of a suspension bridge is suspended (in the shape of parabola)... (answered by Alan3354)